Private Dances Only
by ScatteredStories
Summary: AU; Regina is hot shot business woman and heiress to the Mills Corp. Emma Swan is one of the city's most popular strippers, hired to ruin Regina's reputation. Luckily, plans change, truths are revealed and heart begin to feel. Rated M for language and possible SwanQueen smut.
1. Power Suits & Skimpy Outfits

**Hi everyone! My first attempt at a SwanQueen story. Thank you to my beta, Heather! Hopefully you guys like it.  
**  
Regina groans internally as the nerve running down the middle of her forehead throbs in time with the music around her. Several men in varying shades of grey and blue suits hooted and hollered like monkeys as the woman on stage steps out from between the curtains. Another meeting with the thirty-to-forty something year old men that her mother insisted would be great addition to their company; not for their skills or expertise, but for their very, very deep pockets.

These men were millionaires, playboys and jet-setters during their youth turned investor in their present age. That's why it made sense as to why they chose a strip club, of all places, to conduct the meeting, though it was less likely a meeting and more of a courtship at this point. These men had several companies looking to take advantage of their pockets and lucky for her own company, Regina knew exactly how to hook investors in.

You see, the trick to getting good business is to _not_ talk business at all.

"Miss Mills! Are you not enjoying the show?" One of the older men asks, mid -thirties, dark short crop blonde hair, blue eyes and a sharp gray suit. Let it be said that despite Regina's preferences, she knew a handsome looking man when she saw one and this one definitely had appeal. He had surprisingly looked away from a blonde dancer who had been gyrating on each of the men's laps for the past two songs, something that Regina had no interest in watching.

During the first song, it had already taken all of Regina's energy to appear like she was enjoying, but when the woman had leaned close and whispered "You're next." into her ear before the song ended Regina immediately moved to the bar that wrapped around the stage. No, thank you.

Regina flashes him a charming smile before turning her attention back to the '_show_' which was nothing more than a redhead wearing a black and red lace number that left little to the imagination. The thin fabric of the baby doll lingerie was doing little to obscure the red and white G-string that flashed its fake diamonds whenever she would spread her legs too wide.

It made Regina uncomfortable.

Sure, she had always adored and loved watching the female body move in sensual ways but something about them doing so out in the open, for men to ogle at; it didn't sit well with the Heiress.

That was probably because Regina was a very possessive person. She knew that some, if not all, of these women had partners and it never did make sense to her how someone could allow the person they love to be in such an obscene profession.

"Regina!" The blonde man calls out as he saunters towards her, stumbling over his own feet drunkenly. When he reaches Regina, he drapes an arm over her slender shoulders then leans in close to her ear, "You're not having a good time, because you're not drinking." He says as his left hand reached up, dragging it along prominent vein on the woman's forehead and the creases between Regina's eyebrows; it brings the woman back to the task at hand and with little effort, she clears her throat and forces her features smooth, "Try to enjoy. This is a club not a dull financial meeting." He whispers before lifting his hand and revealing a half-empty bottle of scotch.

Regina's eyes widen as he begins to tip the lip over the rim of her empty glass, "Mister Nolan-"  
"David." He corrects as he pulls his hand back, much to her relief.  
"David." Regina repeats with a smile before placing her hand over David's, pushing the bottle down on the table and patting the surprising smooth skin, "scotch isn't really my cup of tea, I prefer wine."

David's mouth drops to an 'o' as he registers what was said then motions for a waiter to come. The server was almost equally as handsome, chiseled jaw and deep-set eyebrows complemented with olive skin and his short black hair that was styled into a pompadour. If he wasn't wearing the club uniform he could have passed off as a model. Alas, on his chest was the gold logo, _Oz_, emblazoned on his breast pocket.

"Serve us your best wine." He simply says and the waiter was off to satisfy David's wish. Regina could imagine that few people would order such a drink here but it was really all she ever drank aside from caffeine, water and juice; wine drinking being something that she had gotten from her mother who was no light-drinker.

The blonde took a seat beside Regina as he watched the redhead on stage intently, his eyes scorching a path down the woman's body. After a few moments, she could hear footsteps coming up behind them followed by a soft "Sir?" as the waiter stood there to be acknowledge. He was holding a bottle in his hand along with a wine glass.

"Faustino, vintage 2001." The waiter said, holding the bottle out, label up.  
"Tempranillo?"  
"Yes."  
Regina nodded her head once, taking the glass the man poured.  
"I didn't expect them to have good wines." she says before taking a rich sip, humming at the flavors.

David waves the waiter away casually just as the rest of their group approaches the pair, "So now you have your drink... now you need one last thing." Another man says from beside David; dark brown hair, charming smile, and brown eyes that looked like they bore the weight of the world.  
"What would that be, Philip?"  
"A dance of course!" came the answer from the final member of their party; Eric. Regina glanced towards him as he approached, noting how his piercing grey eyes and pale skin, was a direct contrast to the rum in the glass in his hands.  
"A dance?" Regina repeats incredulously.  
"A lap dance!" the three men say in chorus, drawing the attention of some tables around us. Regina's eyes dart away from the men, embarrassed and confused at what they were planning. Although she has met these men several times during proposals, their relationship had never gone beyond business associates or acquaintances at most. Perhaps it was the alcohol that was causing the men to act like they had known each other for years.

Her deep chocolate eyes moved from her companions to the stage. Where her attention is drawn to the redhead that was currently kneeling on the ground; facing her with a sly smile on her lips. Up close, Regina could see that the black lace bra, which already had close to a five-hundred dollars hanging from it, barely left anything to the imagination.

"Is she what you want? Come on. Our treat." Eric slurs while the other two nod in agreement. The brunette looked down at her outfit to avoid the men's gaze, and focusing on the button holding her black blazer together just under the bust as it strained to keep her cleavage hidden as best it could. "I'm not sure that's approp-." She starts to say but is quickly cut off by a series of 'boo's from her present company.

It was a fork in the road for Regina, on one side she had never been one to enjoy lewd performances; hell she even tried watching porn and was more or less left traumatized by the experience. On the other hand, she needed these investors for a big project that she planned on unveiling to her mother when all the elements were set.

Was she truly willing to concede? Allow another woman, whose job it was to entertain and tease, touch her? Regina sighs because she knew the answer before the question was even brought up.

Of course she was.

"Fine, but not her..." Regina answers, making the men's eyes glimmer in the green and pink neon lit room. "I'm not into redheads." She adds before scanning the crowd.

Several women in different states of undress. Men and some women ogling at the half-naked, and some fully-naked bodies. The club itself was beautiful, there was one main stage with a small runway that had a floor to ceiling pole and a bar that wrapped around the length of it. There were also a few elevated poles scattered along the broad room, these were surrounded by two or four couches and would be used by dancers for semi-private dances. All the seats were covered in black or white velvet, even the carpet had beautiful cursive patterns. When Regina first stepped into the club though, the first thing that caught her attention was the ceiling, where large strips of white fabric hung from the middle of the area then extending out towards different points of the room; the whole thing was bathed in yellow and green lights.

_Even the room looked sinful._ Regina thought as her eyes dart from one dancer to another; not sure exactly what she was looking for.

"I want..." Just as she was about to point at a brunette swaying in the corner wearing a pink and white corset, a blonde steps out from a back room, wearing a black and white striped bra with matching striped thong and a sea captain's hat. It was almost laughable at how the world seemed to have zoomed into the blonde, she turns her head with a bright smile as Pink Corset passed her and through the door that the blonde had just exited from. "... Her."

There's a collective groan and an awkward silence that followed, Regina turned to the men whose lips were pursed in a tight line, similar to the look you give to a child when you can't give them the giant rainbow-colored lollipop that they want.

"What?" The brunette asks, confused at the men's reactions  
Philip shrugged and answered, "That one is a little tricky."  
Curiosity piqued, Regina couldn't help but gaze back towards the blonde. The dancer had made her way to the back of the bar, not really looking at anybody as she grabbed a bottle from the middle shelf and poured herself a glass. Whiskey. Two ice cubes.

"Anna is known for her high standards. She's very picky." He explains further before taking a sip from his glass. "I've been coming in here for years and I've only seen her dance on stage once when she was new."  
"Even her p-private dances are few and far between, not to mention expensive." Eric chimes in, his words slurring lightly. The two of men get into a conversation about the enigma that was this Anna as Regina turns her attention to the last man, David, who's been silent for the conversation so far. "What do you think of this Anna?"  
"Not my type," he shrugs and shivers lightly as if shaking his thoughts out. "But they're right, you should choose someone else." Regina's eyebrows form a deep crease as she throws another glance the blonde's way; she was still there behind the bar and this time talking with the male bartender. Not flirting. Just... having a conversation.

There was something about her. It wasn't her titillating outfit, or the way her hair seemed to move like she was in an ad for shampoo. No it wasn't that.

It was the way she carried herself. The confidence she carried with her despite her profession and how the people out here saw her and these girls. Regina felt so drawn to this woman that the mere thought of getting a dance from someone else simply didn't enter her mind.

Aside from her unquenchable curiosity, getting that dance would be a good business move, the fact that getting this woman to dance for her would make Regina the envy of the men she was with. Envy was power and so was intrigue, and right now 'Anna' had that hanging over her head. If the men couldn't get a dance, and she did, they would want to know her secrets. She would have them in the palm of her hands.

Regina couldn't quench this intense curiosity and the chance to snag her investors at the same time.

Two birds. One stone.

"No. I want her." she says firmly.

The men groaned into their half-empty glasses but in the end it was Philip that caved, calling over a raven-haired waitress with bright red highlights down the left side of her head, "Red" as her nameplate read, how fitting. Philip whispers into the woman's ear and Regina didn't need to hear to know what he was saying. The waitress smiled and nodded, then made her way to the bar.

Regina could hear the woman call out, "Anna!" to get the blonde's attention, beckoning her with a single finger. Regina watches the woman named Anna as she leaves the bartender to approach the waitress, Red leans in and whispers into her ear. The blonde rolls her eyes, obviously used to the request, but then the waitress seemed to say something that caught her attention. Her eyebrows arched, looking intrigued.

Anna pulls back and says something to Red, prompting the waitress to point in the group's direction. Regina watches as the blonde's eyes followed the line of Red's finger, scanning the crowd; her gaze swept left then right before finally, with a little help when the waitress basically grabbed her head to look at the right direction, she spots the group that had requested for her presence. The Heiress could see her look at each man, looking at her last.

Their eyes meet, emerald green on chocolate brown. The connection lasts longer than necessary but Regina doesn't look away.

'Keep your eye on the prize' as her mother always said.

She saw Anna smirk before whispering something into Red's ear that makes the girl step back with a disbelieving look. The blonde simply shrugs before looking back at the brunette.

The waitress saunters her way back to the group then leans into Regina's ear, "Anna says she's interested but..."  
"But...?" She asks, barely keeping the excitement out of her voice.  
"She wants it private." Red purrs then backs away, waiting for the woman's answer.

"What did she say?" Eric asks eagerly  
Regina shakes her head softly then clears her throat, "She said she's interested, but only in a private dance." The thought of having this blonde to herself not only excited her but also intimidated her. Regina could feel her heart slamming against her chest, which confused her, why was she so nervous? It was only a dance, given that it will probably be naked, it was a dance nonetheless.

Philip turns to Red with a smile and says, "Tell An-na..." He slurs and waves his glass around drunkenly, "...that we- she accepts." He says without waiting on Regina's decision. Red nods then skips off back to the blonde, leaving Regina wide-eyed and nervous.  
"Philip! That's cost us at least double!" David scolds but Eric waves him off casually, "It'll be worth it! Now, huddle up!" He barks out then pulls them all into an awkward group hug; similar to huddle before the start of the play during football games.

"Gentlemen, I'm aware of the rules in a strip club. I've read about them." Regina defends but Eric and Philip shake their heads. One of them, she's not sure which, snatches the half full glass of wine from her hands.

"My drink!" Regina barks but Eric cuts her of with an outstretched hand.  
"You will not be drinking, Regina. This is a once in a lifetime chance. You need a clear head." Philip whispers and Regina could almost get drunk from his breath alone.  
"We need you to be fully aware, you're joining the ranks of few men that have gotten the chance to get a dance from _the_ Anna. Tell us everything when you're done." Eric adds before patting her back.

The Heiress was so deep in her thoughts that she failed to notice Red approaching her until the woman touched her arm lightly, "Miss. Follow me." the waitress smiles and Regina stands, as graceful as ever despite being distracted. She notices that the blonde was no longer behind the bar and couldn't help the excitement that built in her gut.

Regina was a woman of many luxuries. Her mother had ensured that she grew up with everything that she could ever need or desire. From lavish parties, the best clothes, jewelry, bags and shoes that money could buy; still, with the fame and fortune that the Mills family had at their disposal, life experiences were very rare.

With constant threats to their child, Cora and Henry Mills Sr. had kept their daughter almost invisible to the world. Regina Mill never appearing without at least two body guards by her side, only attending the most important social events and being home-schooled by the best teacher's money could buy. It was even rumored that Mr. Gold, a mysterious but almost genius businessman, was bought out by the Mill's family from Harvard itself just to focus solely on teaching Regina. Whether or not it was true, the woman had become a considerable force in the business world.

Aggressive, outspoken, driven and merciless, Regina Mills had practically taken over the business at the age of 18. At 23, she took over a rival business and a year later was given the title TIME magazine's person of the year award, the youngest to ever receive it at that time.

All those achievements, awards and companies in the palm of her hands; yet, right now, in a strip club in Miami, Regina could feel her heart slamming against her rib cage. It drummed in her ear and drowned out any sound from outside as she was led through a hallway lit with red neon lights and black light.

She swallowed thickly against her drying throat just as Red stops in front of the door into, what Regina could guess was, the private room. She notices a stained glass design on the door that she couldn't make out in time before Red swung it open.

The brunette, like she was raised to do so, enters like she owned the room. Anna wasn't inside yet but the room looked just as decadent as the woman that was about to dance there. The walls of the small rectangular room were lined in red suede with a long leather couch running along the three walls like an upside down 'U'; in the middle of it was a circular stage and a steel pole that connected the stage to the ceiling.

Just looking at the room made Regina's mouth water.

"Please take a seat, Anna will be with you shortly." Red's hushed voice drifts through the air and into her ear. The woman nods before taking a seat in the middle curve of the 'U' shaped couch; her face settling into the calm and unreadable expression that she had perfected over the years,

'Never let them see you nervous or out of sorts, Regina.' her mother's voice echo in her head like a mantra.

She takes a steadying breath, shaking her head lightly, before crossing one leg over the other; waiting for the blonde to step through the door. As she does so, she finally notices how intricate the design was. Stained glass in reds, yellows, whites, and blues, depicting some sort of bird floating in a pond, a halo on its head

No not a halo, it was too intricate to be one.

A crown.

A Swan Queen.

The brunette's musings were cut off when the door swings open and reveals the blonde in the sea captain's costume, holding the bottle of whiskey she had been drinking from earlier.

She gently kicks the door closed, stalking towards the brunette then places the bottle of Jack Daniels, along with two ice-filled glasses, on the table that surround the pole in front of Regina. Anna stands in front of the heiress and adjust the cups of her bra before leaning against the table, pouring each of them a good half-glass of whiskey on the rocks.

Regina noted just how the woman moved sensuality and confidently. She wasn't doing anything overtly erotic or indecent, except for her outfit. No it wasn't that, but the brunette couldn't quite put her finger on what it was exactly; there was just something.

"Tell me..." Anna purrs as she hands Regina the glass, "... How are you enjoying your first time in a strip club?" she asks before sliding unto the couch beside Regina, kneeling and causing her bare knee to brush against the exposed skin below the brunette's skirt.

The question and the skin-to-skin contact catches Regina off -guard and she gasps softly, "Who-what makes you think it's my first time?"

With smooth movements, Anna tilts her head to side and brushes her golden blonde hair to the side, "Oh come on. Exhibit A, you're not drunk. You barely drank all night." She says then flashes a disarming and knowing smile.

Regina swallows thickly, _had she been watching me?_

"Have you been wat-"  
"Exhibit B..." Anna cuts her off and Regina had to remind herself that the blonde did not know who she was, had no idea what interrupting her would have entailed. A lost job. Foreclosed home. Jail time. Oh, Regina had her ways and she never appreciated being interrupted. "...your posture"

The brunette straightens herself at that, remembering how her mother would always scold her about sitting like a lady, "My posture?"  
A hand creeps along Regina's shoulder, making goose bumps erupt on the sides of her neck, "It's too stiff. Too..." Anna pauses just long enough to dig a thumb on a knot in the brunette's shoulder, "...tight."

The unexpected pressure causes the, normally high-strung, woman's shoulder to sag and a soft moan to float past her lips. Anna's fingers pause momentarily but it was long enough for Regina to blink her senses back. She tilts her head slightly to the side just enough to catch a glimpse of the soft blonde hair that was now draped over her shoulder.

She craved to touch it, to feel it against her skin. To see it splayed out on the pillow in her bed. To take it between her fingers. Regina swallows thickly against a sudden overwhelming urge to know what sounds she could elicit from the blonde with a firm fist in those golden locks.

The last thought causing the woman to clear her throat, "I'll have you know that I-" "Exhibit C. No one argues during a private dance." Anna finishes. "I do what you want; whether 'what you want' is something you know you do or a deep dark secret you never knew you liked." she finishes with a tone lower than when she started.

_Another interruption_, she noted as she felt the lips stretch into a smile against her jaw before drifting down and latching on her pulse point; sucking so harshly that she was sure it would leave a mark.

Stars explode in Regina's vision at the sensation of soft lips and a firm tongue on her skin, making her hands fly up to the dancer's thigh and gripping it tightly. She could swear she heard Anna gasp at the contact but the sound was gone before Regina could be sure.

Regina could feel her heart trying to beat out of her neck, pulsing against soft, thin, red-tainted lips before completely stopping then reappearing at a place that she's never felt it before.

Not in her chest, or that vein in forehead when she was angry.

No.

Somewhere lower. _Much_ lower.

It causes the woman to whimper under the blonde's lips. The sensation felt so foreign, so intriguing and delicious that Regina had to use all her willpower not to beg. No, she did not beg. She was Regina Mills, COO of a multi-national company that has affiliates in all seven continents, and damn it she will not be intimidated by a stripper.

That's the moment when Regina feels the blonde straddle her lap.

_Shit._

Anna ground her hips firmly against Regina's lap that the brunette was sure she could feel the woman's slit against her skirt-covered skin. The blonde then leaned forward and rolled her body so that the red ribbon between her breasts lightly brushed against Regina's cheek.

The movement causes Regina's breath to hitch although she managed to keep it subtle, almost indiscernible if it weren't for the heavy breath that she exhaled. She had to look for something, anything to keep her overactive mind from straying towards the dangerous. Yes, she could have been enjoying this little show but submitting to this woman's manipulations felt like a defeat; and Regina Mills never lost.

Especially when it came to self-control, it was something that she had been proud of and right now, surprisingly, she was quickly reaching her limit. It was disarming. It was true that Regina was not one to indulge in such establishments such as strip clubs but she had never been this close to losing control in any aspect of her life.

Not when her mother had interfered in her relationship with an intern. Not when Henry Jr., her adopted son, kept her up for 36 hours straight because of a tantrum-from-hell. Especially not with any man or woman that had tried to seduce her.

She wasn't going to start now, not with a stripper in a sailor costume that was currently doing magic with her mouth on her neck and ears. To distract herself, Regina decides to think of the only thing she knew like the back of her hand; work.

Sidney had filled her in on her appointments and she had several lined up for the next few days; investors, suppliers, organizers and contacts with the government. Her presentations were, at least, 98% ready and simply needed polishing. Henry's parent-teacher conference is coming up and-

There's a harsh bite to her shoulder that snaps Regina out of her musings.  
"How dare y-" the angered snap was quenched as soon as she feels the warm, moist tongue on her aching skin; instead, a quivering breath slips out from between her plump, cranberry-colored lips.

"There you are, Power Suit." the blonde smirks, her fingers wandering under the stiff lapel of Regina's long, black blazer. Chocolate brown eyes drift low and watch as pale fingers move lower on the garment until it reaches the button, "You look so tense, so tightly wound. I wonder what you would look like when you're turned on, hmm?" Anna whispers before unbuttoning the blazer and letting it fall open, revealing more of the brunette's red dress.

"This is highly inapp-"  
"I wonder what you fantasize about..." Anna interrupts as she continues to glide her hands over the shoulders of her top and Regina doesn't even have the mind to count the number of interruptions anymore.

"Let me guess..." She husks but not before grinding herself on Regina's leg again, both women moaning at the contact. "...Getting tied up? Strong, in-control, woman like you? I can already see how wet you'll get just by being dominated for once."

Regina bites back the moan that had momentarily escaped her; the pain on her lower lip barely distracting her from the throbbing between her legs. Oh how she would love the opportunity to put this woman in her place. A chance to see how smart Anna's mouth could be; alas, she respected the woman too much, as she does all women, despite her profession.

Anna's hands slide down the brunette's arms, taking her client's delicate hands and placing them on her side. Regina hummed, substituting the moan that tried to escape her again, at the contact. The blonde's skin was smooth and had no hint of powdery make up or any sort of concealer.

It was pale and silky smooth and Regina could feel the muscles flexing under the taut skin with everybody roll that she did. "So in control of yourself..." Anna husks before pulling Regina's hands higher, dragging it up to just under the swell of her breasts, "Stay there." was her whispered command before reaching behind her. Regina swallowed thickly as she watched the blonde, groaning internally when she feels the bra slacken above her hands.

The brunette felt like she was holding on to her control by her fingertips and any more exposed skin will only do nothing but cause her to completely lose it. Before she could think, the bra completely loosens and Anna slips the straps off her shoulders; swinging the fabric high above her head before letting it fall somewhere behind her.

Now, Regina has seen several naked women before, sometimes at the same time, because of art pieces that feature the naked female body, but with Anna. There was just something so alluring about her body; the color of her skin, how her right breast hung slightly lower than the other, the pale pink areola that was the perfect size to the stiff dark pink flesh in its center.

Her delicate fingers, slipped around the swell under Anna's breasts to cup them firmly; pressing them together then pushing them up and pinching the stiff peaks between her thumbs and forefingers. It causes Anna to moan and her steady grinding against the brunette's lap to falter; the sheer effect she had on the woman causes Regina lose track of where she was. She forgets where they are. Who she's with; because with Anna, literally, in her hands, it was almost like nothing else mattered.

Anna's hips regain their steady rhythm after a few seconds, and she places her hands on the couch, on either side of Regina's head, "so good... You're so good with your hands." she whispers, biting her lip to distract herself from the wet patch that she forming on her own costume as well as her client's skirt.

Regina growls as the blonde pushes her beautiful breasts against her face and it causes the heiress to smirk, "desperate?"  
Blonde hair bounces in a nod, "mm-hmm..." She mewls.  
Satisfied that the sound was genuine, Regina wraps her arms around the woman to cup her ass. The contact causes Anna's hips to push back and grind forward in a desperate attempt to gain some sort of friction.

They stay like this for several seconds, both women feeling like they're in the precipice of a high cliff. Pushing and pulling each other until one of them gives in to the intense and sudden desire.

Anna grinding herself on Regina's lap, teasing her with her moist core; somehow feeling how much Regina wants it.

Regina pinching, rolling and flicking the blonde's nipples between her fingers; feeling every motion cause a new wave of wetness in Anna's core.

Back and forth. Rocking and rolling against each other.

Surprisingly, a particularly hard thrust against Regina's lap causes the blonde to moan wantonly. The sound unravels the brunette's control and she releases one breast to fist the back of Anna's head, tangling long blonde mane between her slender fingers.

A short hiss escapes blood-red lips but the sound wasn't pained or afraid, she was aroused. "Grind harder." Regina commands as her right leg began to roll against her core. Anna whimpers pathetically then does as the brunette says.

Regina watched, almost in awe as Anna arches her body to grind properly on the thigh between her legs. The brunette reveled at the power that she had on this woman, the woman that all those men wanted. The woman that was able to break her control. The intriguing, sexy, and mysterious woman who was now practically drenching her skirt with cum.

Despite being painfully inexperienced with strippers or sex for that matter, Regina still managed to exercise control over the blonde and this only served to broaden the smirk that was on her lips.

It felt surreal.

And like all good things, it had to be cut short.

All of a sudden, the doors burst open and a tall man wearing a "bouncer" shirt stood at the doorway, his arms crossing as he glared at the two women. Anna was able to jump back fairly quickly, retreating to the table that was wrapped around the pole with her arm crossed to at least cover her breasts.

"August." The blonde says breathlessly.  
"Anna." He says without taking his eyes off of Regina; who in turn placed her hands discreetly over the wet patch on her skirt.  
"What are you doing interrupting my dance for Miss... Power Suit?"  
"Dance, huh?"

Regina watches their interaction and meets Anna's gaze as she looks at her, emerald green eyes seeming darker and hungrier than when she first saw them.  
"Yes. A dance." Regina chimes in, slightly irritated at the interruption.  
"Didn't look like much of a dance to me. Has this woman crossed a line, Anna?" The man named August answers plainly without looking at the blonde; which only served to irk the woman more. Despite the annoyance, Regina felt like she had been doused with water. Had she crossed a line? Wasn't she allowed to touch the dancer? The mere thought of breaking the rule had caused a heavy feeling to set in her gut.

Anna shakes her head then points to the door, "No, August! Jesus! We talked about this! Get out!"  
With a deep huff, the man turns then closes the door behind him as he leaves, leaving the two women panting and facing each other.

Regina couldn't help but realize how beautiful the woman looked with flushed cheeks and when Anna bit her lip, it just about snapped her self-control in half. The blonde sighs deeply before dropping her hands, exposing her body again "I'm sorry about him; he-"

Anna never got to finish her sentence as Regina quickly moved to pin the woman against the wall, "You..." Regina whispers as she glides her lips along the smooth skin of Anna's jaw. "You make control very difficult." she husks.

Regina could feel the blonde's breath hitch at the sudden contact, the sound morphing into an amused hum, "Control hasn't been in my vocabulary for years and I love making my clients fight to keep it." The brunette growls in response and it makes Anna chuckle lowly. "You've been in control longer than anyone I've brought in here and I'd love to see how far I can take you before you snap." She husks.

Before Regina could move to do something she might regret there was a soft knock on the door. "Regina. It's David. Eric got kicked out for groping another customer; we have to go." The deep male voice says from outside; a roll of cash slipped under the door and Regina almost laughed. It was almost amusing if it wasn't so frustrating.

"Time's up." Anna whispers, her voice sounding disappointed.  
Regina steps back and smooths down her skirt and blazer, glad that the wet patch Anna left on the fabric wasn't very obvious. She clears her throat before dipping down and picking up the cash. "Yes." Regina clears her throat, "Thank you for the... dance." The brunette pulls out a wad of cash and hands it to the blonde along with the money from her companions, Regina didn't know how much was appropriate to give for the kind of dance she did but she hoped it was enough.

Anna takes the money and, without counting, slipped it between the thin strap of her striped underwear, "You won't count it? What if it's not sufficient?" Regina asks.  
"I don't need to count it, any amount is enough for how fun this was." The blonde answers with a playful wink, "it was a pleasure to serve, Power Suit." she adds before opening the door, exposing her bare-breasted self to David.  
"Excuse me." Anna whispers softly as she slipped past him.

The brunette laughs at David's wide-eyed expression then shakes her head, "Anna!" Regina calls out as she made her way to the hallway, she wasn't sure what the hell she was going to say but it just felt wrong to leave. Of course, that could be how things usually were.

But not for her. A strip club would not remove Regina's manners.

The half-naked woman turns around and flashes a bright smile at her, "Yeah?"

It was then that the brunette saw the thin necklace and pendant that was dangling between the woman's collarbones. A silver swan; much like the stained glass window of the room.

It piqued her curiosity.

"Nothing. Have a good evening." Regina says with a soft smile and a nod.  
From the blonde's reaction, it was obvious that, that wasn't what she expected; maybe a dirty joke or a flirtatious wink, anything sexual; definitely not kindness and that didn't settle well in the brunette's stomach.

She echoes Regina's smile before nodding, "I will. I'll see you around, Power Suit."

**Okay so that's chapter one... let me know what you guys think!  
By the way, if it's not obvious... Anna is Emma. Strippers use fake names all the time; and I read that writers actually considered 'Anna' instead of 'Emma'. So there's a little trivia for you.**

**Leave a review and I'll give you cookies!**


	2. Marble & Glass

**The response to this fic was almost overwhelming and I'd just like to take a few seconds to thank everyone who left a review and PM'ed me for the next chapter. I apologize that it took so long but here it is! We get a little sneak peak into Regina's life and meet a few more characters in this chapter so I hope you all enjoy! Also, feel free to PM me your thoughts or leave a review so I can thank you all properly!**

**PS. also, my beta is on vacation so any mistakes are my own.  
PSS. Sorry for all the notifications but wouldn't post the chapter properly.**

_"I will. I'll see you around, Power Suit."_

Regina's mind was reeling from her experience with Anna as she followed David through the crowd of half-naked women and men with very noticeable bulges in their pants; the once appealing green and yellow lights now causing a dull throb on her temples. God, what the hell was wrong with her? Acting like a horny teenager was below her! What if this 'Anna' knew who she was? What if someone in here recognized her? or worse, what if her Mother found out? Cora Mills had always kept the Mills family name immaculate and she would definitely not appreciate it if tabloid articles about Regina's escapades in a strip club makes it to the 6 o'clock news.

A groan rumbles in the woman's throat as they approach the exit, the sound inaudible above the boom of the speakers, "Did you have fun?" David asks from up ahead, not bothering to look back at Regina.  
"It was..." The brunette considers the answer for a few moments, "...Okay." Regina lied easily.  
The experience was so much more than 'okay'; it was intense, tension-filled, make-you-wet-amazingly-sexy amazing. It was- "Oof!"  
David suddenly stops halfway out the door, causing Regina to slam against his broad back.  
"What are y-"  
"Get back inside!" The man hissed as Regina looks up enough to see a dozen or so cameras flashing in their direction.

"Mr. Nolan! Look right here!"  
"David!"  
"Who's that woman you're with?"  
"That looks like Regina Mills!"  
"Is that Regina Mills behind you?"

Questions were being fired simultaneously and Regina was thankful for David's build, it was certainly serving to shield her from the cameras. Without needing to be told twice, Regina quickly drops her gaze to the floor before scampering back into the darkness of the club.

"What the _hell_ is the paparazzi doing here?!" She whispers harshly just as David closes the gap between them, panic settling in her gut like a heavy rock. The man chuckles whilst running a hand through his soft, blonde hair, "We belong to the 1%, the richest and most powerful in the country, remember?" He says with a dry laugh, "Someone wanting to make a quick buck must have called them and let them know we were here."

Regina internally curses whoever had set the hounds on them, the last thing she needed was to have her face plastered on the front page along with David, Philip and Eric. Which, speaking of whom, the woman hadn't seen since she had gone into the private room.

Before Regina can even ask about the two men, she spots Philip awkwardly half-jogging towards where they are, "We can't go out the back way, they've got the damn place surrounded. I managed to get Eric into a cab before they spotted us." He says as soon as they come to a stop just in front of Regina. "How are we going to get out of here? I can't get photographed in a strip club, Aurora would kill me!" Philip says, a slight panic tainting his smooth as silk voice. "Okay, listen-" Regina starts but he's cut off by David's light chuckling. When the man notices the way Regina and Philip had glared, he clears his throat and mutters a quick, "Sorry.

It makes the brunette roll her eyes, the nerve on her forehead throbbing again with annoyance. "I can have my chopper pick us up." Philip announces but Regina quickly shoots the idea down, "We have to be subtle about leaving, not turn it into a scene out of a cheesy 80's secret agent movie."

Just then, Ruby and another woman approaches the group. Regina noted that the other woman was not a waitress; for one, she was wearing a beautiful emerald green, long sleeved dress and a leather vest on top; Regina watches as her high-heeled leather boots tap lightly against the tiled floor as they approach.

"Is there a problem?" The brunette says in a heavy English accent, "My name is Zelena. I'm the manager."  
"Finally." Regina sighs in relief, glad to have a few sober and able-thinking people around her. She ushers the manager to follow her through the crowd and towards a blacked out window, allowing the slightly red-headed woman to peek through the curtains, "You see those pests outside?"  
"The paparazzi? I doubt anyone would miss the blinding flashes of light."  
"Exactly." Regina says before pushing the curtains back in it's place. "They're after us and we need to leave as discreetly as possible."  
The manager tilts her head slightly, "Well, that's going to be a problem. There are only two ways out of this building and they've surrounded the club."

Just then, David makes his way towards the two women, stopping just behind Regina.  
"There has to be another way out, a fire exit?" He asks, "An underground tunnel?" Philip adds unhelpfully from his place beside Red.  
Zelena turns her attention to the man with a shake of her head, "There _is _a fire escape, but it leads to the back of the club which is, again, teeming with photographers. Unfortunately, it did not occur to the club owners to build an underground tunnel." Zelena answers pointedly, her patience with drunk men already as short as Regina's.

"Well, I refuse to wait them out." David says, crossing his arms in front of his chest.  
The manager lets out a deep sigh, "I'm afraid there is no other w-" "If I may?" Ruby interrupts, peeking from behind David's broad shoulders. "You can go through the roof." She adds with a shrug and it makes Regina release an exasperated sigh. "For the last time, we're not going to use a helicopter to get out of here."  
A soft chuckle escapes the waitress' lips as she shakes her head, "The club is connected to a few buildings, you can get to the next block and hail a cab or something."

David leans in even closer upon hearing Red's proposal, "You're sure we can get to the other street through there?"  
"Yeah." The waitress nods before turning to her boss, "Sorry boss, but I may or may not help some of the girls out through there when they need a break..."

Regina watched the exchange with little curiosity as the only thing in her mind at the moment was getting out of here without being spotted. "Take us there." she chimes in before Zelena can speak. The waitress nods once and then turns towards the left, to the door the servers would use to get in and out of the storage area. They push past the black double door and into the large room, turning right then up a short hallway towards, what Regina assumes, are the stairs to the roof.

Her heels click in a steady pace along with Red's and Zelena's as they make their way past several rows of wooden shelves lining up the room. It is well stocked with any provisions a club might need. They walk past several glass cases that lined the cream-colored wall along the hallway. It was filled with every wine and liquor that Regina could think of, wines in one case, champagne in the other; several others containing varieties of bronze and gold filled bottles.

"An impressive inventory you have here, I didn't expect it from such a place." Regina says to Zelena just as they reach a black steel door.  
"Only the best drinks make it down my dancers' body and on to our clients lips." The redhead says with a sly smirk before ushering everyone through the door and towards a simple, but brightly lit, staircase.  
Regina shook her head lightly as she slips just behind Red, "I suppose so." She mutters just as the waitress pushes open the door; letting them out onto the roof.

The fresh air is like a hug against Regina's lungs after so much time in a room filled with cigar smoke, alcohol and sex. She takes in a large gulp and closes her eyes, blindly walking further into the rooftop area.

"We go through here?" Philip's voice is low and soft, years of experience had taught him how sharp paparazzi ears could be. Smart man, Regina thought to herself before pulling out her phone and hitting a button for her speed dial.

As the phone rang, Regina looks back at her present company. Red, Philip and David were talking about the route that the group was supposed to take to get to the other street while Zelena simply stood by the door, keeping it open as she watched as well.

"Miss Mills." A rough husky voice says,  
"Where are you?"  
"A few streets away just as you wanted."  
"Good. Move to 62nd and wait for us. How soon can you get there?"  
"Two minutes."  
"Good."

Without waiting for a response, Regina disconnects the call before heading back to where the group had gathered; everyone seemed to be confident enough at what they were about to do and it gave Regina just a little bit of hope that perhaps they wouldn't be caught tonight.

"Thank you very much for you help." Regina says to the two women while the David and Philip began to make calls of their own.  
"It's no trouble, we take care of our clients." Zelena answers with a sincere smile, her hands crossed in front of her much like how Regina would stand in front of her own clients.

"I trust you and your employees know the importance of anonymity to your clients?" The brunette knew it was common practice to keep identity a secret in this industry but she wanted to verbalize her worries nonetheless.  
"Of course, Miss Mills." She says with a sincere and bright smile, "You were _never_ here but I'm afraid your friends are another story. They've both been photographed and pictures I cannot deny." Zelena adds before reaching into the pocket of her vest and pulling out a card, it was intricately designed with gold and green with the club logo embellished at the top right hand corner. "If you ever need some place to let off some steam, you're free to come here. Consider yourself a VIP."

Knowing full well she wouldn't come back to this place, Regina had all the reason to reject the card but she could see how a partnership with this Zelena could pay off. An exclusive status at one of the best clubs in the state would definitely win Regina some points from her male clients as well as some of the more adventurous females. That was definitely something Regina would not pass up. "I appreciate it." she says with a soft smile before taking the card and slipping it into a random slit in her wallet.

"Let's go." David announces, signalling to Regina and Philip that it was time to leave.

After a full block walking in heels, a rogue pigeon, and several angry rats Regina and her company finally make it to where the men had parked their cars, two were parked equidistant from each other while another one was running in idle.

"This is me." Philip says as they walk closer to a black Audi A6, "I have to say, this was definitely a fun night. I'll be waiting for a call, Regina." He adds before reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out his keys. The two beeps sound like blaring horns in the quiet night and it makes all three of them freeze mid-step. After a moment of listening to their surroundings, Regina and David let out a sigh of relief.

Regina glared at Philip, who in turn threw her an apologetic smile, "Sorry."

"Get out of here. Say Hello to Aurora and little Philip for me." David chuckles lightly, nudging his shoulder to urge Philip towards his car. The man groans at the mention of his wife then nods, "I will. I'll see you guys around." He answers before hopping into the driver seat and leaving as quietly as his car let him.

Once Philip was gone, Regina and David make their way to the second car. A white GMC Sierra with black tinted windows parked under a flickering light post, "Let me bring you to your car, Regina."

"Thank you but there's no need." The woman smiles and shakes her head lightly as her car quietly moves parallel to the truck. David narrowed his eyes to see into the car but the driver was obscured by the darkness as it pulls up, the door right within Regina's reach.  
"You know, you should really update your car." David muses lightly.  
The random thought amuses her and makes Regina chuckle, "I have a more refined taste for vehicles, I like the classics."  
"Fair enough." David smiles, placing his hands on his hips, "What model?"  
"560 SL Mercedes Benz. All stock." she answers just as the driver reaches over the center console to open the passenger door for her. Regina turns and steps one foot into the car before looking back at David, "Expect a call from me."

His face twitches in an effort to stop a smile from stretching his lips but eventually he fails and ends up smiling like a teenager, "Of course. You've shown you can go toe-to-toe with Eric, Philip and I in our own game, call us and we'll be there." He answers with a charming smile before slipping into his own car, Regina doing the same and sitting down on the passenger seat after a quick, "Wonderful."

Regina relaxes against the seat as the man beside her began to drive towards her home, the events of tonight lazily flitting through her mind; the drinks, the smell of alcohol and cigarettes that permeated the air in the club, how the leather and velvet seats felt against her skin and the pleasurable warmth and taste from the wine, and of course, Anna. She had tried to think of all the women she had seen tonight but all the faces she could come up with were pushed aside by just one woman. Soft blonde hair, emerald green eyes, skin as soft as silk and those lips… "Did you have a good time, Miss Mills?" Her companion asks without taking his eyes off the road.

"Quite. It would have been better if the press didn't make an unwanted appearance." The heiress adds, irritation coloring her voice.  
The man beside her chuckles once, the sound was deep and smooth, "Don't worry. I'm already on it."  
"Good." Regina nods before allowing her eyes to close.

It was a move she will soon come to despise, because as soon as she closes her eyes, images of Anna flash behind her lids; grinding and desperate against her thigh. Faster and harder against her, the decadent sounds the blonde was emitting echoing in her head.

"Are you alright?" The man asks, causing Regina's eyes to snap open. It takes her a few seconds before she is able to answers with a weak nod, "Are you sure? You were groaning."

Her gut instantly twists nervously, _was she_?  
"Groaning?" The brunette asked incredulously, "I _don't _groan." she adds.  
"You don't groan, huh?"  
"Of course not. I've never made such an unladylike sound."  
"Maybe I was mistaken..."  
"You were."  
"Then maybe you were moaning?"  
"Graham!" Regina yelps and then laughs at how absurd he was being.  
It makes the man laugh too, deep and full, "I'm just saying..." he says before stopping in front of Regina's apartment building.

"Remind me to thank Sidney for talking me into purchasing an apartment in the city." She muses as the valet opens the door for her. She nods her thanks to the man before looking back at Graham, noticing the amused look on his face.

"What?" She shrugs nonchalantly.  
Graham mirrors the action, "I'd remind you but you wouldn't thank him anyway."  
Regina nodded at that, knowing it to be true and painfully accurate. "Well... He works best when he thinks he's not being appreciated." she answers simply. "Pick me up at 8 AM tomorrow."  
"It's already 4AM that's less than four hours of sleep, Miss Mills." Graham argues but Regina simply brushes off his comment,  
"8 AM." She repeats firmly before pushing the passenger door closed and making her way into the building, her thoughts still filled with blonde hair and green eyes. Memories that stayed with Regina well into the night and until the following morning.

_Beeeeeeep_

"Yes, Ms. Mills?" A disembodied, but clearly cautious sounding, female voice asks from the desktop intercom.  
"Where the _hell _is Sidney? I wanted him here ten minutes ago!" Regina barks at the machine, her hands slamming against the desk loudly and causing the poor secretary to squeak in fear just outside her office door.  
"I'll c-call him- No, I'll get him right now!" The woman stutters and Regina could hear the panicked and uneven footsteps as the woman practically runs to Sidney's office.

Her secretary's initiative to drag Sidney to her office would make Regina proud if she wasn't so livid. The paperwork for her latest, and most personal project, was not even close to being complete and the investors were already lined up.

Regina anxiously taps her pen against the table and the heel of her purple peep-toe heels against the hardwood flooring of her office, she had personally taken care of all the legal aspects of the proposal as well as the projected financial needs that the project might need; Sidney was in charge of the program itself, plans and actions that the project would undertake. Of course now Regina can see how much of a mistake that was; aside from the front page of his report and a blank table of contents, there was close to no work done on Sidney's part.

It was times like this that the brunette would regret giving Sidney such an integral position in her company. Sidney Glass was no business genius, he was more adept with the social side of the business industry; newspapers, magazines, tabloids and social media was his expertise. Something Regina just did not have the time or patience for. Still, despite the man's shortcomings, Regina knew she would not be in her position without him. Sidney had helped her gain the trust and support of the company's stockholders thanks to well timed photos and forced attendance to social gatherings that Regina would not have gone to had she been given a choice. He opened her up to the art of gaining business without talking business and for that Regina would be thankful.

To calm herself and her mind, Regina takes a deep breath as she looks around her office, to her left is a long glass board that was filled with her graceful penmanship was mounted on the space next to her door, and on the other end of her office is the magnificent view of the Miami skyline thanks to the full length, floor to ceiling windows of her 50th floor office. Compared to how it looked several years ago, there wasn't many decorative pieces in her office except for some plants, a large mirror and several lamps. She leans back against the plush cushion of her executive office chair as she looks at a particular scratch on her floor, just in front of the unused fireplace.

The fine flooring had been damaged several years back when Henry had somehow gotten into an argument with a marble horse while Regina had him on her hip as she talked on the phone. All the warning the businesswoman got was a quick scream before Henry reached out and swiped at the horse, knocking it off it's spot over the fireplace and shattering it at their feet.

"Miss Mills?" her secretary's breathless voice calls into the room, pulling Regina from her thoughts. "Sidney is here."  
Taking a deep breath, the woman leans against her desk and nods to herself; feeling calmer than before.  
"Thank you, Mary Margaret. Send him in." Regina says into the intercom and a moment later, the door swings open and the slightly lanky, milk-chocolate skinned man steps in. His posture calm but his eyes betraying the slight panic that comes with being called into the woman's office.

He walks cautiously towards the desk, his steps quiet and his eyes darting around the room like a prey walking into the lion's den. "Regina." Sidney greets with a soft nod and his eyes downcast.  
"Sidney." Was the woman's cold reply.  
The two were quiet for several moments, Regina burning holes into Sidney's head with her gaze and the man doing everything in his power to avoid meeting the fiery chocolate orbs. After several seconds, it was Sidney that relented; letting out a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry I don't have the materials ready, -" "You're a dear ally, Sidney. Which is why I'm going to keep this short." Regina says quickly, cutting him off mid-sentence.

"Regina, I-"  
"You've known me long enough to know that I do not want nor do I need your apology; I wanted action Sidney, I thought this was done and you've failed to deliver _yet again_." She continues, her expression unreadable. She could visibly see the sweat forming on the man's forehead, his lips beginning to quiver and his eyes almost bugging out of their sockets. Regina reveled in it. In the fear and respect she had from her employees; Sidney seemed to have forgotten just how brutal she can be and this was an opportunity to remind him. "Two weeks. We will be holding the investors meeting in a month and I want you to have your material ready long before then. You know the consequences if you don't."

She notices his shoulders visibly relax enough to release a breath, "Regina I'm a senior manag-"  
"_If_ you fail to deliver, then I don't need you. Do you know what happens to things that I don't need, Sidney?" Regina counters, cutting the man off yet again. Instead of answering, Sidney simply drops his gaze and nods; looking very much like a kicked puppy.  
"That's all for now, Mister Glass. I'll see you again in two weeks."

After only a few hours at the office and a dozen interns running for their lives, Regina decides to leave early. She finds herself in a small coffee shop three blocks away from Henry's school, waiting for his classes to finish; a random book and a large cup of cappuccino on the table in front of her.

Regina loved to read. She loved how she could read scribbles on a once blank page and get lost in another time or another world but despite her need to escape, Regina couldn't stop her mind from drifting. As hard as she tried to focus on the words on the pages, she just can't bring her mind to focus and with an exasperated sigh, she slams the book closed. The only two people in the cafe with her that were huddled around the corner turned to look, glaring behind their over-sized hipster glasses that Regina was sure they didn't even need. "What?" She barks at the two, making them both bury their noses into their cups.

The brunette immediately feels bad for snapping at the two but knew it would be pointless to apologize. She was just so frustrated at the fact that she couldn't focus because it was very unlike her. She was not the type to be distracted by anything, especially something she didn't even know.

All Regina knew was that her mind would space out and turn to white noise whenever she tried to focus. "God damn it..." Regina hisses under her breath as she sits back and rubs her temples. What was wrong with her? Was she ill? Maybe she was losing her mind. Yes, that was possible. Sidney's idiocy must have rubbed off on her.

Regina was so deeply entrenched in her thoughts that it took her several seconds to realize that her phone was blaring a familiar ringtone for Henry's bodyguard, "Hello?"  
"Momma!"  
The voice of her son caused her mind to instantly relax, "Henry." Regina says with a soft smile, "Are you done with school?"  
Henry giggles happily before answering, "Yes! Miss Ingrid said we was good!"  
"It's 'were' good, dear." She corrected.  
"I know you're good too, Momma!"

Regina chuckles at her son's answer because really only her son would associate being good with her; normally it would be ruthless, aggressive or downright scary. With hurried movements, she tucks her book back into her bag before heading towards the door, "Mulan and me are going home!" Henry adds happily and it makes Regina take hurried steps as she pushed through the door, unknowingly putting herself in the path of another person carrying several bags, "No, Henry! I'll pick you up. Give me a few m-oof!"

The other person stumbles past the door, passing through just in time before it closed between them, "Watch it, Power Suit! Jeez!" The woman barks behind her, not bothering to look back fully at the customer that had bumped into her.

Regina threw a deadly glare at the blonde as the woman made her way to the counter, an employee? And a rude employee at that. She had half a mind to step back inside the restaurant to give the woman a piece of her mind when a small voice penetrated her thoughts, "Momma? Momma are you gonna pick us up?" Henry asked, his voice small and happy. It makes Regina shake her head, clearing it of any angry or negative thoughts, "Yes, Henry. I'm on my way."

Minutes after Graham had picked her up and while they had stopped in front of Henry's preschool, was when she realized what that blonde woman had called her, Power Suit. Only one other person had called her by that name and it makes an uncomfortable weight settle on her gut, it couldn't be, could it? Had she just bumped into Anna?


	3. All Publicity is Good Publicity

_**Hi everyone! Thank you for all the reviews and support that this story has been getting. Here's a little chapter from Emma's POV, hopefully it explains a little about why Emma/Anna is a stripper and is allowed not to 'participate' too much. Hopefully you all love reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.**_

_**PS. My beta is still on vacation so all mistakes are mine.  
**__**PSS. Sorry about the earlier update, I don't know why it posted the code. -.-**_

"_Watch it, Power Suit!"_

"Crap. Crap. Crap. She's going to kill me." The blonde grumbles as she grabbed the large paper bags from the counter and darted for the exit. Emma Swan was not a woman that feared many things, living alone helps in hardening anyone especially kids, but the thought of Granny bulgy eyes and cutting tone made her stomach twist uncomfortably.

It wasn't her fault.

Honestly, it wasn't.

Really.

It was that damn alarm clock!

As she swerved and swayed against the heavy foot traffic of the Miami morning, Emma groaned at the sensation in her pocket. A dull vibration followed by the standard ringtone of her old model Nokia. "Always did have awful timing." She thought out loud as she bit down on one corner of the bag on her right hand to fish out her phone.

"Emma."

That one word with that tone of voice would have sent shivers down Emma's spine if she had not been hearing it for the past three years. "What?"  
"A little birdie told me that _Anna _made an appearance at the club last night." The man says from the other end of the line.  
Emma, at his words, rolled her eyes almost to the point of dislocating them from their sockets, "Yes. She did. Is there a problem?" she asked defiantly.  
"We talked about this." He answers, like he was scolding a child and it makes Emma stop in her tracks.

"The hell lady?"  
"Hey!"  
The people from behind her sneered before moving past her in a fit of agitated huff but Emma ignored them, feeling her temper rise dramatically.

"No. _You_ talked. I didn't get a word in, in that conversation." The blonde barks into her phone, irritation setting in her gut.  
"We agreed."  
"We didn't agree on anything."  
There's a loud bang on the man's end of the line and it was like she could see him slamming his hand on his poor wooden desk, "No man is allowed to touch you but me!" He growl angrily.  
"I'm not your little toy!" Emma barks back, "You may own the club, Killian, but you don't own me."

Emma and Killian both fall silent after that, all that could be heard was the man's heavy breathing and her hurried footsteps as she continued her route to Granny's.  
"Who was he? Your client. What was his name?" He asks lowly.  
The blonde sighs, "I didn't get a name."  
"That's very unlike you."  
"Then you clearly don't know me." She answers as she hops up on the sidewalk just outside of Granny's; not noticing the woman that was walking briskly towards the same door that she was.  
"I know you more than you think, Emma." He says in that overconfident, smug voice that he just loved to use on her.  
"You know what? I'm done with this conversation." Was all Emma said before propping the bags on her chest so she could slip her phone back into her pocket.

She wasn't fast enough though and the last things she was able to register were jet black hair and a blue-purple blazer, like the second that slows down before a collision; which is exactly what happened.

The speed at which both women were walking caused the hit to whip both their shoulders back. The bags in Emma's arms almost flying out of her grasp, "Watch it, Power suit! Jeez!" the blonde barked as soon as she regained her footing just inside the small cafe.

That was it. This was the last straw to her already shitty day. First, her alarm clock. Then the woman that snatched the last piece of bagel from her favorite corner bakery and now this clumsy oaf of a woman that she could feel was staring daggers into her back.

She was about to turn to towards the woman, itching for a fight when another female voice boomed towards her, "Emma! What took you so long?!" Granny hollers from behind the bar and if it wasn't for the frightening sight of the old woman's frantic eyes, Emma would've followed the woman outside and would have given her a piece of her mind.

The blonde sighed before heading to where Granny was. "Sorry. My alarm didn't go off."  
"Save it. Ruby already told me. Take the bags upstairs." the older woman says lowly, causing warning bells to go off in Emma's mind.  
"Granny, about the club-"  
"I don't want to hear it. I'm disappointed in you, Emma. After all we've done-" "I needed the money." Emma says quickly, cutting her off mid-sentence. Everything that had happened today has burned through her patience and now she was just in bad mood.

The silver-haired woman sighs deeply, "Not like this. You're better than that."  
"It's just a little publicity." The blonde shrugs in an attempt at nonchalance as she slips past the swinging door and into the small kitchen. "Good or bad, publicity is still publicity. That's what they always say, right?"

The back of the cafe was basically a regular living room and kitchen, a small staircase to the right led to the second floor where Granny and Ruby, her best friend, lived. For several years after getting out of the system, Emma had lived with the two women; working as a waitress alongside Ruby at one point. She had once called this place home and compared to where she lived now, it was funny how this place _still _feels like one.

"You know that what you're doing is wrong. It could _ruin _that woman's life." Granny says quietly from the doorway.  
Her words make Emma scoff, "If someone hates her so much then she probably deserves it." she barks back and as much as she tried, she couldn't keep the venom away from her voice.

Instead of waiting for the older woman to answer, Emma spun and jogged up the stairs so quickly that she failed to hear Granny telling her who exactly she had bumped into on her way in.

When she got to the top of the stairs, the blonde took a breath before slowly twisting the doorknob. It was something she loved to try. Seeing if she can slip into a house filled with animals of heightened hearing. She hears the low click of the door jamb retracting and thinks she's actually done it.

She just needed to slowly push past that rusty point.

_SQUEEEEEEEE_

The shrill sound of the rusted joints were all it took and like the stampede scene in The Lion King, Emma could hear several footsteps scratching and pounding the hardwood floor, coming right at her. First came the barking, loud and deep as two of the most beautiful dogs bounded towards her, one brown tinted, the other gray; faces bright and happy at the sight of their blonde human.

Emma had to remind herself of Cesar Milan and what he said about training dogs, she had always admired how the dog whisperer could rehabilitate dogs and from the time she watched the first ever episode of the show, she had wanted to be able to train and discipline her own dogs like he could. So instead of meeting them with open arms like she wanted to, Emma pushed the door open completely, straightened her body and relaxed.

Dominant.

In control.

The gray and white dog immediately reacts to Emma's change and skidded to a halt a few feet from the woman while the other decided to nuzzle against her jeans-covered leg.

"Good boy, Memphis." Emma cooed as she reached down and scratched the gray dog's head; at the same time ignoring the other. Memphis tilted his face up, his own little gesture for a kiss and Emma was happy to comply; she leans forward and allowed Memphis to gently lick her nose. The affection, or lack thereof causes the other dog to whimper. "Come on, Flo. You can figure it out." the blonde says without looking at the desperate pooch.

Eventually and with a few more pathetic whimpers that almost disintegrated Emma's resolve, Flo slipped out from between the blonde's legs to sit obediently in front of the woman. "Good girl, Flo!" Emma cooed as the caramel and cream colored dog finally got the affection she wanted.

Memphis and Flo were, in the sense of the word, Emma's dogs. During a rainy September night, a year or so after she had settled with Granny and Ruby, Emma had happened upon the corpse of, what she initially thought, was a stray; hit by a car as far as she could tell. It was a regular thing to see in the streets and highways of downtown Miami, but in that instance, Emma just couldn't help but approach the mangled remains of a once beautiful Siberan Husky.

Lo and behold, as soon as she had squatted beside the body, she could hear high-pitched whimpering from under the pile of fur. That's when she found two puppies huddled under what was once their mother's paws, like Simba in that scene from Lion King that nobody ever really wants to watch again.

Emma saw herself in those two puppies, poor, clueless, innocent and alone. Much like how she was left on the side of a highway by irresponsible parents; parents that some days she wished were dead. It was, anyway, the only acceptable reason in Emma's mind.

She was left to fend for herself, she wasn't about to do the same thing to these dogs.

"Well, I got some extra cash and guess what I have?" The blonde asks the two as they jutted their noses high in the air, already knowing what it was that Emma had in the bag. "Heightened sense of smell, right." She mumbled before pulling out the bag of _Perdita's Pure Balance Dog Food,_ prompting Memphis and Flo's tails to wag uncontrollably.

Both dogs whimper at the sight of their favorite meal, Emma knew the sound was telling her that the dogs were trying to control their urge to jump for their food "Alright, alright. Calm down." she coos before walking to the kitchen, she takes the two metal bowls before filling it with kibble; one blue, the other pink.

Once both were equally as full, Emma placed the bag down on the counter then holds both bowls up to her chest, raising her brows knowingly at the dogs. "Ah-ah." The dogs, again, whined as they forced themselves to sit.

"Still on that Emma Swan the Dog Whisperer kick?"

Emma, Memphis and Flo all turn towards the doorway where a half-naked and make-up smeared Ruby appears from the living room, "I'm doing pretty good, look they're sitting down and not attacking me." the blonde answers as she watches her best friend tiredly walks toward her.

"Congratulations." Ruby groaned before dipping her hand in one of the bowls and taking a few bits of kibble, "you should start your own show on Nat Geo." she adds, tossing a single kibble into her mouth and chewing on it like she was just snacking on chips.

Memphis whines.

Flo taps Emma on the shin with her paw.

Emma's face immediately scrunches in disgust.

"I still don't know how you can stomach eating dog kibble, Rubes." the blonde says before placing the bowls down and allowing the dogs to eat. She knew the raven-haired beauty had a weird sense of what was delicious and what wasn't, hell she even tried to eat kibble a few times but she never really like how it felt in her mouth.

"It taste like chicken and bacon. Don't knock it till you try it." Ruby shrugs as she begins to brew her coffee.  
"I did try it! It tasted like wet sand and salt."  
The brunette smiled charmingly over her shoulder, turning to Emma with her pearly white teeth and big smile, "It's for refined tongues, I guess."  
That makes the blonde laugh, hearty and full, "Dogs. They're for dogs."  
"Shut up." As always, Emma doesn't but she _did_ try to contain her chuckles as the two of them work in the kitchen.

Ruby was in charge of coffee and the other was in charge of setting the table and finding whatever they can reheat in the microwave. They work in perfect sync, Emma crouching down to get food from the small refrigerator just as Ruby opens the cupboard above it to get to the coffee mugs; Ruby grabbing two plates from the space beside the cups to lay it on the counter so that Emma could lay whatever food she could find on it.

It's something they both learned while living together and it never really went away. The two were inseparable. They met during fourth grade when they both attended public school and grew up together since then. The only time when they were separated was when Emma was sixteen and went through her rebel phase, dropped out of school while Ruby continued to study. Two full years had passed before the best friends saw each other again, in a jail cell of all places.

Emma for getting caught with several stolen watches. Ruby for beating up a man that had groped her at a bar she was working at.

Ruby stayed overnight, Emma stayed for a good few months. Still, they reconnected and by the time Emma was released, Ruby and Granny already had a room ready for her.

"So…" Ruby starts as she begins pouring coffee into the two paw-print covered mugs she had procured earlier.  
The unfinished sentence piqued Emma's curiosity so she urged the woman on, "So?"  
"Are you mad at me for- you know.."  
"Why would I be- oh!" It takes a second longer for Emma to realize what her friend had meant, and when she did she quickly shook her head. "No! Ruby! Of course not!"  
Despite being louder than necessary it didn't do much to diffuse the look of guilt in Ruby's big brown eyes, "but they-" "got exactly what they wanted from me. Everything that happened after that was out of my control and therefore…" Emma paused just long enough to turn the toaster on it's side so she could put in two cheese covered slices of wheat bread. "... beyond the terms of the deal."

She could tell Ruby didn't fully believe her but was thankful that the woman didn't say anything more. The two ate their breakfast in front of their TV, watching replays of yet another show that Ruby was currently obsessing over.

Memphis and Flo lounge on the floor at their feet, nuzzling their nose against the women's legs a few times, probably just to see if they can procure some treats as their humans watched the big moving picture screen.

Emma and Ruby talk about nothing in particular, the show they were watching and why the earth looked healthy despite it being less than a hundred years after a nuclear end of the world, a creep at work that had slipped a twenty between Ruby's breasts. anything and everything that came to mind. The only lull in their conversation was when Emma watched, with intense interest as the lead in the show, Clarke, a blonde woman, and another character that, Lexa, who Emma refused to address as anything but _Commander Racoon Eyes_, kissed.

It yanks her mind away from the screen and into a memory, a memory filled with apple scented perfume and smooth black hair. The consuming, delicious thrum in her veins and the way that woman's skin tasted on her tongue- "...glad to see the nuclear war didn't eradicate the lesbian race." Ruby chimes happily, pulling Emma from her thoughts.

It takes the blonde a second longer to pull herself out of the decadent memory; forcing her throat to make a sound before the other woman suspects anything. She manages to clear her throat before answering, "Ruby, they're more concerned about surviving and saving each other from giant monkeys. Who would care about preference at a time like that?"

Before the other woman could answer, Emma's phone begins to ring loudly from it's spot on the dining room table where she had left it. All four heads snap to it's general direction, the blonde more reluctantly than the rest, "I'll get that." she groaned before standing from the couch and maneuvering over the two big dogs at her feet.

Emma didn't need to look at the screen to know who it was and her stomach sank just like it always did whenever she talked to this particular person, "Hello?"

"Miss Swan."

The hairs on the pale skin of her arms stand on end at how they had always addressed her, it could be from the fact that the voice was robotic but it could also be the fact that one wrong move and she could be six feet underground, under an unmarked grave. "When do I get my money?" Emma asked as casually as she could, keeping her voice low so that Ruby doesn't hear.

"Easy. When I get what I paid for." The caller answers stubbornly.  
"Bullshit. I did what you asked."  
"My, my… You should watch your words, Miss Swan. You forget who you're talking to."  
Emma had to bite her tongue to keep her remark to herself, she knew angering this person wouldn't help her at all, "I'm sorry but you can't go back on your deal." she sighed as she began pacing the length of the room.

The caller chuckles into the line, like a villain that had just finalized their plans to rule the world, and again it makes an unpleasant chill to creep up Emma's spine.  
"I will fulfill my end of the deal as soon as you fulfill yours. I wanted pictures, do you know what I got?"  
"Um.. Picture _and _videos?"  
"_Nothing_, Miss Swan. I got _nothing_."  
"That's not my fault!"  
"No, but it is _your_ problem. I want the Mill's reputation destroyed, you do that and I will hold up my end of the deal." was the last thing her caller says before disconnecting the line and leaving Emma to work out how she was going to get out of this mess.

This was supposed to be a quick and easy way to get a good pay day and now… well now it's all turned to shit. How was she supposed to go after one of the most powerful families in America and win?

"Emma? Is everything okay?" Ruby asks as she appears in the doorway between the two rooms. Right off the bat, Emma could tell that her best friend knew the answer to that question. Ruby could smell trouble from miles away but Emma couldn't involve her in this. She _had_ to keep her in the dark.  
"Nothing. I'm just being called into work earlier than expected." the blonde lied easily.  
"_You_? Being called in to work?" Ruby asks incredulously, "Killian _hates_ to see you work."

She knew she had been caught in her lie, Ruby knew Killian as much as she did and it was true that the man would never ask her to come into work. He doesn't even like it when she _does_ punch in her hours. "It wasn't Killian…" Emma adds as she heads towards their shared bedroom, "It was Zelena."; the blonde pulled open several different drawers, taking and tossing several garments into her bag. She drowns out any protests from her best friend as she darted past the woman and the two dogs to get to the door, "I'll see you there!" Emma called over her shoulder before slamming the door closed and down the wooden staircase.

She's met with the sight of Granny serving a few customers and was thankful the woman was busy; she had already lied to Ruby, she really didn't want to have to lie to Granny too.

By the time Emma had gotten to the club, forgoing her car and simply walking there to get some extra time to herself, the servers and some of the dancers were already there. Several men and women were scattered around the large and brightly lit club, pulling down stools from the bar, vacuuming the carpet and polishing glasses for tonight's service. On the other side of the club, the dancers just like Emma were up on the stages practicing their routines while fully clothed; spinning, climbing and posing half-heartedly with the metal pole.

One of the dancer, a bubbly red-head that was popular with the older men, was the first to spot her, "Emma!" the woman greeted happily, waving a hand towards the blonde. With the greeting several other people turn towards her, greeting with both energetic and weary 'Hello's and 'How are you?'s.

She greeted them all of course, awkwardly and warmly depending on how well Emma knew them. She gets to the redhead and plops down on the couch just beneath the pole she was practicing on, "How's the routine coming along?"

The woman giggles, actually giggles, while her legs have her poised horizontal from the pole. "It's going great, I've been working on my core muscles so it's been fun learning new things… like this!" She says before moving her body in several different way until slowly but surely, she positions herself completely upside down; the pole fitting snugly along her spine and with one leg bent to help her keep her balance.

"Ariel, that's beautiful!" Emma says, her tone more awed that she would have thought. Ariel slowly dismounts from the pole before sitting at the edge of the platform, smiling at Emma like a kid in a candy store.  
"Thank you!"

"Ariel!" Zelena's voice echoes loudly throughout the half-empty club, her posture stiff and obviously agitated, "Your turn." She adds then spins on her heel, back towards her office.  
Emma immediately notices how the woman's shoulders deflates, setting off warning bells in her head, "What's going on? Your turn for what?"  
Ariel shrugs then slips off the table before answering, "They're asking everyone about the whole paparazzi incident last night. Nova, Lacey and Marian have already been interviewed; that just leaves you, me, Ruby and some of the waiters. Anyway, see you later, Emma!"  
She watched the woman disappear behind the simple wooden door that leads to the managers office, her stomach twisting and flipping at how big the mess had gotten and stewed in the very real possibility that she might never- "You alright, love?"

For once, Emma was glad to hear that annoyingly charming accent and that smug voice, "Will Scarlet." she starts as she turns around to face the man, "careful, I might begin to think that you actually care."

The man raised a single thick, perfectly shaped brow at her words, "Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves." he shrugged before taking a step back, his hands raised in defense. The man's penchant for avoiding any sort of attachment to anyone always did entertain Emma but that was because he was so much more obvious about it than she was.

She was pretty sure that if the man could get rid of his heart, he would. Of course, it piqued Emma's curiosity as to what had broken the man in the first place but her curiosity was never enough to actually start that conversation.

All Emma knew was that Will was a former thief, she had been with Killian when the bar owner caught the, then starving and filthy, man helping himself to the contents of the bar refrigerator; Emma's sandwich was a victim that day but Will was not. Killian offered him a job just like he did the woman and from then on Will worked for him. Now, as far as she knew, he had a small apartment somewhere and a girlfriend but that's about all Emma knew.

"But…" He starts again, jutting out his index finger as he plops down on the single couch beside Emma, "you did look pretty down for a second there, now come on, tell Will what's wrong. I've been told that I'm wise beyond my years."

As much as she wanted to talk about it, she couldn't; nothing would help. Talking about it will only get more people involved and she already had too many people she cared about getting into trouble, so she stands and pats the man on the knee, "maybe next time, oh wise one." Emma says before making her way to the back of the club.

She could feel her nerves at her fingertips, causing them to twitch and itch. What if Zelena finds out? Emma knew the manager would not be able to fire her without Killian's approval but still she couldn't help but worry.

The fresh air behind the club did little to soothe her heightened nerves and she couldn't help but turn to other means to relax. "So much for quitting…" Emma mumbles to herself as she begins to dig into her bag, pulling out a pack of Marlboro lights. "Now where is that… aha!" She gets her fingers around the cold metal body of the lighter but to pull it out, but it catches on the zipper and falls noisily to the ground.

"Clumsy…" Emma groaned before reaching down for the lighter and instead of the hard metal case or even the rough ground, her hands touch something much smoother.

A hand.

"Here you go." A man with a thick head of bronze colored hair and a manly 5 o'clock shave says as they both stand straight. Despite the mess that was the man's hair, he looked quite dashing in his grey suit and expensive leather shoes. Emma is dumbstruck for a moment as he smiles brightly towards her, "are you okay?" he asks with his more pleasing accent.  
"Yeah… I'm- I'm fine." the blonde answers, awkwardly breaking eye contact.  
The man offers his hand again, the lighter still tucked between his fingers, "You should really stop smoking, it's not healthy."

This makes Emma scoff, a short genuine laugh bubbling out of her throat, "Not five minutes and I'm already getting a lecture, who are you my dad?" she teased lightly.  
He, in turn, laughs once, deep and full as he placed his hands on his hips before scratching the back of his head, "Sorry, I feel pretty strongly about smoking."

Emma thought the man's behavior was charming and refreshingly boyish. His deep-set eyes and chiseled jaw certainly wasn't unwelcome but his laugh was almost infectious; and Emma found a weird sort of camaraderie towards him.

"I'm Emma. Emma Swan. You are?" She says with a half smirk and her right hand held out.  
The man takes it gently then shakes it firmly, mirroring the woman's smile, "Graham. Graham Humbert."  
The blonde nods before looking out over the empty and slowly darkening parking lot, noticing how early it still was, "you know, the club doesn't open for another few hours."  
"Oh I'm not here for… that." He answers with a furrow of his thick brows before slipping his hands into his pockets.  
Emma notices the change in his posture and immediately suspects he might be some sort of creep that's been spying on her; wouldn't be the first time. "Well why _are _you here?"  
"Just getting some fresh air." He smiles before taking a step back and pushing past the door,

"H-hey you can't just-" Emma was just about to stop him from going any further when Zelena appeared in front of them, "We only have a few left, Mister Humbert." The woman says before leading him towards her office.

"Think about your health before lighting that cigarette, Emma Swan. I'll see you in there." He calls over his shoulders before disappearing behind the door that Ariel had walked through minutes ago.

Once the door closes, Emma lets out a huff before running her fingers through her hair, "well, great." she groans before plopping defeatedly into the couch, she couldn't run now. Couldn't hide. That would look to suspicious. She just had to sit and wait; and lie, really, _really_ well.

Unfortunately, it only takes a few minutes for Ariel to step out from Zelena's office; looking rather relaxed compared to how Emma felt. The blonde wanted to ask what sort of questions were asked and what Graham told her but before she could make it to Ariel, their manager calls on the next victim, "Emma?"

Emma's flight response was going off like crazy, firing synapses and urging her to make a run for it. She took a deep breath and rationalized everything; yes, if she ran now, she'll make it to the door in a few seconds but then what? She's miles from her car and who knows if Graham would run after her? He looked fit, he'd probably catch her in no time at all.

"Swan?" Zelena called again, this town louder and firmer than before and it yanks Emma to the present. The blonde gives a subtle huff before following the manager inside her office where she finds Graham sitting behind the desk; one ankle on his thigh and his back pressed perfectly against the curve of the office chair.

"Emma, I'm glad you stayed."  
_Ha, like she had a choice! _"Of course. What is this about?" she asks, her gaze flitting between the man and Zelena.  
Graham doesn't beat around the bush, he pulls out a picture of the club; surrounded by photographers, "I'm just here to find out some things about the incident last night. Were you here?"  
"Yes." She answers softly and Graham seemed to be satisfied with the short answer.  
"What were you doing between midnight and 1AM?"

_Jesus, _Emma thought to herself, _they even have the timeline down._

"I don't keep a watch on me when I'm out there, but I'm guessing that was around the time I gave a private dance to a client." She says confidently, relieved she hadn't had to lie so far.

This time, it was Zelena that asked a question, "someone saw you last night before you went into the private area, you were on the phone talking with someone. Who was it?"  
The question caused a heavy weight to settle on Emma's stomach but years of living on the street had taught her never to show nervousness, "I was talking with Granny." she lies smoothly.  
"Is that code for paparazzi?" Graham asks plainly, his tone indecipherable.  
"No, it's code for my best friend's grandmother." Emma deadpans, laying her lie as thick as she could.

She notices Zelena and Graham looking at each other for only a split second and she was sure there would be more questions, but suddenly Graham stands up and brushes his fingers through his hair, "That's all for now, Emma. Thank you." He says and despite her surprise, Emma nods before standing up and stepping back out the door.

"You know she's lying, right?" Zelena asks as soon as the door close behind the blonde.  
Graham nods gently in response, "I know."


	4. Showtime

**Hi everyone! Apologies for the delayed update, things got a bit busy with life but I'm back now and I have the chapter with me! We'll be going back to Regina's POV.**

**Also, I want to thank each and everyone of you who read, reviewed, followed and favorited this story so far! It really does drive me to make this story better and better!**

**On to the chapter!**

**PS. Beta is still away so all mistakes are my own. Hopefully there aren't too many.**

_Graham is late_. Was the very rare and very irritating thought that was echoing inside Regina's head as she stood in front of the large mirror by the door. She had gone to check on her hair and makeup for the fourth time in seventeen minutes, something she hated doing.

She hated being iffy.

She hated being late.

_Where the hell is he?_ She thought to herself again as she pursed her lips together to spread the lipstick evenly.

It was unlike Graham to be running late without a word, especially not for such an important trip. When they had reached Henry's school, Regina had send him back to Oz to find out more about the paparazzi incident the night before but she didn't expect him to take so long.

Had he found anything out?

"Momma! Help!"

The horrified cry from Henry immediately send the brunette running up the carpeted stairs towards the room where she had left him. "Henry!" As she ran, her mind flew from one thought to the other, had henry gotten hurt? Where was Mulan? Had gotten through the locked door to the balcony? "Momma!" Henry cries out just as Regina reaches the door. The woman practically swings the door off it's hinges as she ran into the room, panting and slightly out of breath.

She noticed the room was a mess, all the cushions of her couch were missing, her pillows were gone and there were chairs all over the room; Regina immediately went to search for her son, "Where are you?" she asked breathlessly. For several agonizing second there was no answer and then a soft giggling slowly drifted from where her bed was.

At first Regina was confused, she couldn't find Henry and there was a long white sheet hanging above her queen sized bed. "Henry?"

There's a small movement just inside the blanket and then Henry's flushed and smiling face peaks out from between the fabric, "We made a pillow castle!" He announces happily as Mulan appears from behind the tent, timid and her eyes on the floor.

"He's very persistent, Miss Mills." She says quietly.

Regina should have been angry; her room was a mess, so was her hair and she could feel sweat from the sudden adrenaline rush dripping down the side of her head.

She should have been but Henry's face made it impossible. "We gets to be a Queen and a King!" He chimes happily.

The brunette smirks then shakes her head, "That's alright, Mulan. Leave us. I have to have a word with my son." she says before taking a seat at one corner of the bed.

Not a second later the Asian woman darted out the door, leaving Regina and Henry alone in her room. The brunette sighed softly as she watched his son crawl out from the blanket tent that they had set up.

Regina was amused at how Henry's expression turns from gleefully excited to confused and worried that he had done something wrong, "Did I do bad, Momma?" He asks innocently.

For a four year old, Henry Mills was a very perceptive kid. Regina like to think it was because she had always talked to Henry like an adult; explaining, correcting and teaching him as soon as he muttered his first word. Of course genetics also played a part on it, how he was treated while in the womb and what sort of voices and music he heard. Still Regina couldn't be more proud.

"That depends, dear." The mother answered as she began to brush the thick brown hair away from the boy's flushed face, "Why did you do all this?"  
Henry immediately dropped his gaze and began fiddling with his hands, "You were gonna leave, Momma."  
Regina's brows furrow in confusion, "Yes, Henry. I told you this morning while we were eating breakfast-" Suddenly, Henry throws himself towards Regina, the woman barely catching the child in her arms as he wraps his arms and legs around her torso, "I don't want you to go, Momma. I missed you." He mumbles into her hair.

The simple answer and loving gesture both made Regina's heart swell and crack at the same time. She has been busy with the proposal as well as managing the company in Miami as well as their business in Fort Lauderdale, but she did make sure to tuck Henry in whenever she could; to cook him meals and get him ready for school.

What she realized though, was that aside from that she hasn't had the chance to spend quality time with her son.

Regina pulls away from his son, slightly teary eyed at his son's request, "I'm sorry Henry. Tell you what, Momma's going to stay home today and we can go to the beach?"  
He softly shakes his head then points to the mess on the bed, "We can stay here and go camping in our castle!"  
The brunette nods, a smile on her lips, "Deal. I have to make a few calls but why don't you go to Mulan and tell her to look for Graham?"  
Henry bounces on the bed twice before slipping off the bed and out the door, shouting for Mulan and how their plan worked.

Once the door closes, Regina pulls out her phone from her pocket and dialed her secretary.

"Miss Mills?"  
"Mary Margaret, cancel all my meetings for today." She says simply as she began to undress, kicking her black heels off before carefully untying the belt around her gray dress.  
There's a pause on the line before the fair skinned woman spoke again, "Are you alright, Ma'am? Is it the scratch on your leg? The one from the angry rat?" she asks worriedly.  
Regina laughs, actually laughs, at her concern, "No. That turns out that was just from one of Henry's toys."Without seeing her secretary and from her silence, Regina knew Mary Margaret would probably have that furrowed-confused look on her face, "I'm going to spend the day with Henry." she adds as she stands just in front of the door to her walk in closet that was thankfully blanket and castle-free.  
"Oh! That's a wonderful plan, Miss Mills. I'll be happy to cancel your meeting." Her secretary says happily.  
"Please make sure that Sidney isn't sitting around doing nothing or worse, flirting with the interns."  
"I will."  
"Good." She says before disconnecting the line.

Regina stood in front of her closet in her black lace bra and panties, debating what she should wear today since they would only be staying home. She couldn't wear her exercise clothes because she was scheduled for the gym tomorrow and she didn't really have another pair of dri-fits.

Definitely not jeans or a skirt. That would be uncomfortable, let alone silly.

Was it too early to wear her pyjamas?

As soon as Regina unclasped her bra, the door swung open to reveal Graham; like some cosmic joke.

It was like the woman was frozen for a second as she watched the man approach her, his eye low and locked on some papers in his hands, "Miss Mills, I apologize. The meetings ran a little late but I did- Oh." Only when Graham had looked up at her did Regina find her voice. "GET! OUT!"

"Did you do bad too?"  
"Uh… You could say that."  
"What did you do? Is Momma mad at you, Graham?"  
The man sighs, burying his nose deeper into his bowl. "I really hope not, Kid."  
"You should have knocked, what kind of man simply barges into a woman's room?" Mulan says quietly before taking another spoonful of cereal.

Graham glares at the smaller woman but wisely chose to stay quiet; much to the amusement of Mulan.  
Light footsteps padded along the hardwood floor of the small mansion as Regina approached, she enters wordlessly in her gray silk pyjamas and fluffy white slippers. Mulan and Graham nervously glanced at each other, both their mouths half full with cereal and milk, neither wanting to chew or make a single sound.

Regina makes her way to the refrigerator and pulls out a small box of strawberries before taking a seat beside Henry, placing a soft kiss on the boy's head. As she does, Mulan quickly reaches over and beats Graham in grabbing a new bowl and spoon for their boss; the man glaring daggers into her head.

"Here you go, Miss Mills." The smaller woman says quietly.  
Regina nods, "Thank you."  
"Thank you!" Henry giggled, standing from his seat and moving to his mother's lap. Regina hummed as she wrapped an arm around his waist, filling her bowl with Corn Flakes and milk with her free hand.  
"Mulan. Graham." She says once she fills the bowl, both adults sitting up in attention.  
"Yes, Miss Mills?" They asked at the same time.

Instead of answering, Regina plucked a strawberry from the small box and began to nibble on it. Truthfully, she was also trying to control herself from blushing in front of Graham, she had never had such an experience and to be seen like that by a man she spends everyday with was something from the twilight zone as far as Regina was concerned. After several agonizing seconds and Graham's butt going numb, she spoke again. "We're going to have a lazy day with my son. No suits." The woman says with a sly smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.

A few hours later and a mandatory change of clothes for Mulan and Graham, and the four of them could be found on the floor of Regina's home. Well, Graham, Mulan and Henry were on the floor in front of the large television; Regina was sat on the stark white couch behind them.

"I don't understand…" Mulan mumble, catching the attention of the two other adults in the room, "If the mermaid could not speak, why not just write a note to the prince and tell him of her predicament?"  
That had Henry and Graham scratching their heads, "You know what? I don't actually know." Graham shrugged. "Maybe she couldn't write?"  
Mulan shook her head, "She signed her name in impeccable penmanship on the contract with the octopus."  
"A plot hole." Regina answered in return. "Besides, the movie would not have been as enjoyable if Ariel simply wrote a note. They had to discover love for themselves." she adds before taking a sip of her apple juice.

Mula and Graham nodded, so did Henry. "Frozen!" He yelps excitedly.

"Henry we watched Frozen twice _before_ we watched Little Mermaid." Graham grumbled but the young boy was unfazed, "I wants Olaf, Momma!" he whines, turning to the brunette.  
"Alright,you and Mulan can watch while Graham and I get us lunch, okay?"  
"But I don't want to eat."  
"You barely ate your cereal this morning and it's almost lunch time. You have to eat." Regina says gently as she ran her hand through Henry's short brown hair.  
"Oh-kayyyyy." He drawled before turning back to the TV where Mulan was selecting his movie.

Graham and Regina slip out from the room and towards the kitchen, the man's posture reverting back to being stiff and professional. They could hear the movie begin to play as Regina moves around the kitchen, procuring some chicken breasts, tortilla wraps and vegetables.

She works quickly and cleanly around the kitchen while Graham stands only a few feet away, the man waiting for any instructions from her.

_Do you wanna build a snowman?  
__Come on let's go out an play  
__I never see you anymore  
__Come out the door  
__It's like you've gone away._

"Any news on the incident?" Regina asks while slicing the chicken breasts to the right size.  
"No one who works at the club seemed to have called them, but there was one whose story didn't seem to fit." He says plainly as he pulls out a small notepad from his breast pocket. "Her name is-"

"Do you want to build a snowmaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan?!" Henry screamed from the other room, making Graham chuckle lightly.

"Her name is Emma. She's a dancer. Before going to work, other people had seen her on the phone talking with someone. She said it was her best friend's grandmother."  
"A lie?" Regina asks and the man simply nodded, "how can you be sure?"  
"Instinct? Also, she was too stiff. Too tense during the whole thing.

She hums thoughtfully as she dips the chicken breasts in batter before throwing them into the fryer, once they were cooking, Regina began to prepare the warps, laying out the tortilla wrappers and vegetables in four neat piles, "That's not enough to go on, you know that."

"I know. I'll gather more information on her; I have her picture and some basic information but that's all I have for now." He agrees before showing the brunette his phone. As soon as she took a good look at the screen, Regina's eyes widen. There staring back at her was Anna.

"I'll have August run a background check on h-"  
"No." Regina cuts him off, placing his phone on the counter.  
Graham's eyes furrow at that, "No?"  
"No." She repeats, "She couldn't have done it for some change, there must be another reason."  
"Miss Mills, the papparazi-" "Were all there. If she wanted to make the most money, she would have called one or two, or even took the pictures herself. No, there's more to this and I'm going to find out what."  
"How?"

Regina pauses, placing both her hands on the counter in deep thought, "We play along. Keep her clueless, that shouldn't be too hard. Once we find out who's pulling her stripper strings, we'll make our move."

That was the only time that they had talked about anything regarding the incident or work, of course the fact that Anna might have something to do with the paparazzi and the upcoming proposal for her project was in Regina's mind but she was not going to allow anything to ruin her day with Henry.

After they had lunch, Henry only managing to eat half of his, they stayed in Regina's room. Just mother and son. Reading and telling stories about Henry's fictional world for hours on end. His world was of his mother as the queen and him as the brave and powerful prince that says dragons with tree branches.

Eventually, Henry fell asleep with his head on Regina's chest and his hands wrapped around his mother's waist. Soon, the combination of warmth and comfort that her son brought defeated Regina's need to always be moving, knocking her out as she held her son close.

While the two slept peacefully, Mulan and Graham were busy cleaning up the chocolate smeared bowls and plates when Mulan's phone broke the silence. The smaller woman quickly fished her phone from her jacket pocket and read the new message, her brows furrowing as she did so.

"Trouble in paradise?" Graham asked with an amused smirk.  
"I received the result for Emma Swan's phone records." She states simply, successfully wiping the smirk from his face.  
Graham quickly set the rest of the plates into the dishwasher before walking up the the woman, "and?"  
She lays her phone down on the table and zooms into the email where the most recent calls were displayed.  
"What am I looking at?" He asks cluelessly.  
"Emma Swan hasn't called anyone for the past two days. She didn't call the paparazzi, someone else did. My guess? This one." She adds as she points to a single, reoccurring phone number.

Graham checked the time of the calls and nodded in agreement, "He called around the time they saw Emma talking with someone and then another call the next morning. Checking that their plan worked?"  
"Possibly."  
"Then let's find out who this number belongs to."  
Mulan shakes her head, "It's a disposable SIM card. There will be no names or address or maybe not even a record of the calls in and out of this number."  
They pause for a second before sighing together, "Regina will not like this." Graham whispers quietly

"I know but at least we're not completely empty handed. We start with Emma Swan and find out who she's working for."  
"There has to be something more we can do."  
"Perhaps. Call your people, I'll call mine. Let's keep it quiet, alright?"

Graham nods and the two of them begin to call all sources they believe could help them. Once they had both done and contacted who they could, Mulan and Graham met back in the kitchen where they simply sat at the counter rubbing their heads. "Any luck?" Graham asks and Mulan simply grunts, "yeah me neither." He adds.  
"What are we going to tell Miss Mills?"  
"We could-" "Yes, I am _very_ curious to know what the two of you have been up to?" Regina's voice floats from behind them, causing Graham to whip around and Mulan's head to snap up in her direction.

Their boss walks in wearing her silk pyjamas but still walked as gracefully as ever, taking a seat at the counter between the and clasping her hands together on the the table, "Well?"

The two glance at each other nervously and it only causes the anxiety to build in Regina's mind, "Is one of you going to tell me or will I have to force it out of you?" she asks, agitated.

Mulan was the first to break from their locked gazes to answer her boss, unwilling to find out what Regina would actually do to them, "We strongly believe that this Emma Swan was talking to the person who called the paparazzi." she blurted out.  
Graham sighs before adding, "we didn't want to bring it up yet because our information isn't complete."  
Regina's shoulders tighten as she answered, "Graham, I told you not to run a background check."  
"And we didn't. Her phone records show suspicious activity days before your meet up at the club." He explains. "That means whoever paid her, _knew_ you were coming." Mulan chimes in before pulling out a piece of paper. "Who else knew of your meeting, Miss Mills?"

Her brows furrow, they were right, the timing was too perfect to have been coincidence. "Aside from David, Eric and Philip? Only the essentials;my secretary, Mary Margaret and the two of you."

"Mary Margaret, it is." Mulan nods, "She's the only one besides Graham and I that knew-" "No. She wouldn't do this. She's smart, she knew only select people knew and that we'd be on to her in no time; she wouldn't risk it. There has to be someone else, maybe on David's staff? or Eric's? Philip's?" Graham chimed in, cutting Mulan off mid-sentence.

Regina nods as she think of all possible angles, "He's right, Mulan. We can't assume that it's Mary Margaret. Try to get more information on this mystery caller." She tells Mulan who nods in response, "Graham, you and I are going on a little midnight trip." Regina adds before getting up from the stool and heading for her room.  
The man's blonde brows furrow, "Where are we going?"  
"Oz!"

Just like the first time, the sheer aesthetics of the place took Regina's breath away as soon as she stepped through the emerald green drapes at the entrance. The music boomed out from large speakers around the club, driving the bass right into her chest as she walked inside.

This time, Regina was far more careful to avoid being noticed. Going with a simple ensemble of a short black dress, black pumps and a white blazer.

"Miss Mills! Welcome back." Zelena greets subtly as she reached her client, "I must say, I didn't expect you to be back here so soon." she smirked before leading the woman to the closed-off VIP section.  
When the two women reach the back and most isolated section of the VIP lounge, Regina takes a seat on the couch against the wall so she had the full visual of the club. "I'm sure Graham filled you in no why I'm here." she says, glancing at the man standing beside her.  
The Englishwoman nods, "Of course. I've asked Emma to come in today under the guise that one of our dancers had injured herself. She should be here any minute."  
Regina smiles politely before turning to Graham, "she can't see you or she'll know we're on to her."  
"I'll be in the car outside, if I see any hint of trouble, I'm coming in to get you." He answers quietly, completely serious.  
It makes the brunette shake her head, "that won't be necessary. She won't have time to call anyone."

As if on cue, Emma enters the room through the back entrance. Tonight she was wearing a red corset and black ruffled skirt with red trimmings, black lace stockings that had small ribbons at the top that went all the way up to her thighs, red pumps and a miniature black top-hat on her head that's tilted slightly to the left.

"Leave it to Anna to make an entrance." Zelena muses in an amused tone as men left and right turn towards the blonde.

Regina simply watched her, closer than she had the first time. Despite her appearance there was a perceptible sluggishness in her movements. Her shoulders drooped ever so slightly and her eyes weren't as bright as the first time Regina saw her; her baby blue hues seemingly darker and duller.

"Let's go, Miss Malvagio. Time to make our exit." Graham says before offering his arm to the redhead who gladly hooks an arm around his.  
"My, my…" She purrs before turning to Regina with a sly smile. "I guess chivalry isn't dead after all." Zelena says playfully before following Graham out the door and to somewhere Regina did not even want to know.

As she sipped on her wine and watched Emma, she couldn't help but notice the woman constantly looking over her shoulder, like she was expecting someone to come up behind her. It piques the woman's curiosity and as she takes another sip, Emma turns just enough to meet her deep chocolate gaze.

'Alright, Regina Mills.' she thought to herself, 'Showtime.'


	5. In a ditch somewhere

**I'm back! I'm so sorry for the super duper late reply but life got in the way and I just haven't been able to write, which sucks completely. I hope this chapter makes up for the time I've been away.**

**Also, thank you for all the amazing reviews. They've really been keeping me going and I'm so blessed and honored to have readers like you.**

**I hope you enjoy the chapter.**

**PS. Beta is still away. All mistakes are mine.**

Chocolate.

Dark chocolate.

Rich. Full. Exotic. Delicious pools of molten chocolate.

That's all Emma could think of as Regina's eyes locked with hers. Like black holes absorbing all the light in the room and making it disappear until those eyes were all Emma could see. Not even the bright strobe lights could catch a reflection in them.

What the _hell _was she doing back here? Had she missed a text? Or a call from her client? Impossible, she had the phone all day and checked it even before heading to work. Whoever her client was, they had no idea that Regina would be here. Taking in Regina's appearance and the lack of half-naked women around her, Regina knew that the woman was here for her. Maybe she knew? Graham must have figured it out.

Shit.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

Despite the sudden rush of panic, the blonde kept a calm exterior as she stared back at the businesswoman; Emma noticed how those brown eyes had not left hers for a single moment, like the way a hunter stalks it's kill. Yet, those eyes on her made Emma's skin tingle and her core to clench when Regina smirked.

How funny that things could change so quickly, she was the hunter last time; attracting, stalking and going in for the kill but now Emma couldn't help but feel like a duck sitting across a small cage from a wolf.

Regina raised her half-empty glass then tilts her head in a small gesture, an invitation. One that the blonde _should _have refused but also one that she _couldn't_, despite her best efforts.

Everything about this woman was addicting and she found herself unable to keep herself away, not even if she tried to crawl away.

_One foot in front of the other, Swan. _She reminded herself, urging her feet to move. They eventually do so, she makes her way past the crowd and towards the VIP area in a slow but steady pace.

The bouncer, August, looks at her then at Regina. A jealous gleam in his eyes that could have turned the blue into green. Still, he could not keep Emma away or he'll lose his job so he reluctantly unhooked the velvet rope to let the blonde pass.

"Be careful."

"I'm not a kid anymore, August." she whispers through a smile before walking up to the carpeted steps.

Emma's brow rises when she gets a good look at the, surprisingly empty, lounge. For the longest time, she had never seen this area not teeming with the rich and famous. Not filled with local B and C list celebrities.

_I wouldn't be surprised if Regina paid for the whole lounge though. _ She thought as she approached the woman.

"You know, I shouldn't be surprised that you're wearing that but I am." Emma mused as she took in Regina's outfit. A form-fitting white blazer over a short black dress that left just enough of those gorgeous caramel colored legs exposed to her. Blue eyes scorched every inch of Regina, from her black velvet pumps to her hair that was styled in a simple wave down to her shoulders.

God she looked absolutely beautiful.

"Anna." Regina greeted, the corners of her blood red lips quirking into a seductive smirk.

Emma chuckles lowly at the expression as she takes a seat on the left arm of Regina seat, "Power suit."

There was no need to be subtle. No need to hold back. That was the beauty of her job.

"Miss me already, boss?" Emma asks, her fingers slipping under Regina's hair and twirling a lock of raven hair around them. Regina doesn't answer, instead, she places her left hand on Emma's leg and sipped at the wine she held with the other.

Emma bit her lip to stop a whimper as the brunette's fingers drew random patterns on her knee. Each pattern felt like it was being etched into her skin by fire and ice. She couldn't even pretend to be offended by the woman's non-answer and she could see that same smirk as Regina sipped from her glass.

If it wasn't so torturous, Emma could have given her a proud applause.

Regina was flirting with her.

Uptight business woman in a power suit was successfully teasing the stripper.

"You know…" Emma trailed off as she placed her hand on top of Regina', she slowly laid the hand flat against her skin before pulling it up her thigh; her eyes closing as she feels the warm fingers moving up and under her skirt. "You can say yes."

The fingers on her flesh suddenly tense and squeeze at the top of her thigh, only inches from her already warm core, "Yes." Regina husked lowly, the low timbre licking it's way into the blonde's ear, caressing it before drifting down her neck and along the length of her toned back.

Those dark undecipherable eyes were now full of hunger, the brown irises almost completely taken over by her dilated pupils. It pulls an uneven breath from the blonde, "I'll tell you a secret…" Emma whispers as she sunk to Regina's lap, "I missed you too."

Emma then trails a hand up toned arms, feeling the soft fabric of the white blazer, until they reached her chest. She could see Regina's jaw clench in an obvious effort to keep herself in control. "Let me show you how much…" Emma husked as she leaned forward to drag her thin lips along the defined jawline.

When she received no answer, she used her arms to push against Regina's shoulders, pinning her against the soft back of the couch. The sudden force had knocked some air out of her lungs but Emma quickly made up for it by rolling her hips firmly against the brunette's thighs.

She could feel Regina's surprisingly warm hands on her knees before moving up and stopping on the back of her thighs; they rub and squeeze her toned flesh, and Emma knew the businesswoman was aware of how spreading her thighs also spread her fold behind the thin lace panties.

Emma whimpers, low and desperate, "I love your hands on me…" she says before quickly reaching for the zipper at her side, the need for warm hands on every inch of her skin. All of a sudden, all contact is taken away; no hands on her thighs, no heavy breathing. "What-" "Not here." Regina says firmly, cutting off Emma's question. "I want you all to myself."

Her words cause another wave of heat to blossom inside Emma but where as it is normally in her core, this time the heat crept up her cheeks.

She was blushing.

"You want a private dance?"

"You seem surprised."

"People can't normally afford my private dances for too long." Emma teases as she completely slips off Regina's lap to kneel between her legs.

The blonde watched closely as Regina leans forward and takes her fragile chin between long fingers, "From this day on, you will only do private dances for me. I'll pay in advance if you want but your dances are mine, understand?"

Regina's voice dripped with so much possessiveness and want that it caused a shiver to crawl up Emma's spine.

Instead of answering, the blonde stands and pulls on Regina's hands to urge her up from the seat before leading her towards the rooms. The businesswoman was like a completely different person from the first time she had been brought to the private rooms; instead of the stiff and quiet woman, Regina was like a woman on a mission and Emma was completely powerless to resist.

Everything Regina did turned her on. Something that had never happened with any of her customers.

As soon as she and Emma stepped into the privacy of the hallway, Regina tugged on the arm looped around hers and pinned the blonde against the wall just opposite the swan queen room. Hip against hip and strong hands pinning Emma's to the wall. "You didn't answer me." she husked quietly against the small space between their lips and Emma could feel Regina's pleasantly warm breath against her mouth. The heat creeping through her parted lips and into her moist mouth, caressing her tongue.

Before Emma could answer, the pressure against her body eased as Regina pulled away and walked into the room; the blonde following close behind. She felt drunk. Like Regina's mere presence intoxicated her and she just couldn't get enough.

"I like to do different activities to de-stress." Regina began to say as she takes her seat in the middle of the couch. "Cooking, baking, gardening, all the suburban activities you can think of but recently I found that something else takes my mind off of work completely…" she pauses just as Emma slithers up unto the stage in front of her, "... or should I say _someone_."

Emma effortlessly lifts herself up unto the pole, "Tell me…" she purred as she did her first pose, one where she ends up upside down on the pole. "What about work is so stressful that you need to forget."

Even from the stage, she could feel Regina's body instantly tense up. It takes a long time for her to answer, long enough that Emma had already slipped down from the pole and had slithered to the edge of the stage where she sat in front of Regina.

"Come here." was all the businesswoman said and although disappointed by another non-answer, Emma was more than happy to oblige. She hops from the stage and kneels beside long slender legs, her blues eyes fixated on deep chocolate orbs.

Staring into the woman's eyes gave Emma a small boost of confidence because of the conflict she could see in them. What the conflict was for, Emma didn't know but she wanted to capitalize on it to get the information she needed. So she moved to the Regina's lap and placed slow, firm kisses along the the woman's smooth defined jaw pulling a soft groan from her, "Tell me."

Emma pulls back just enough to see the look of defeat cross Regina's features just before she nods, and it gives the blonde a renewed sense of power. To have this woman, easily one of the most powerful in the state, give in to her request was a heady feeling; but unlike the other people who looked at her like an object to touch and drool over, she could see something else in those eyes, something different.

Like… Like she didn't want to talk or even be here; like she was breaking some rule by coming to Emma.

Even though Regina already nodded, it takes a little more coaxing from Emma to get her to begins. She talks of this project she was working on that she had been keeping away from prying eyes. When Emma asked what the project was, the brunette simply shrugged and playfully answers that "I could tell you, but I'd have to kill you."

After the conversation, Regina asks for one final dance before she needed to leave and just like the first time, it was heavy and filled with so much sexual tension that the air felt thick around them.

By the end of the dance, both women's breathing were labored and Emma was left in just her thong, their lips inches apart but not touching; Emma had again left a damp spot on Regina's thigh and an angry purple bruise marred the smooth skin on the side of the brunette's neck. Something that was specifically against the rules.

"What's wrong?" Regina asks, making Emma hyper aware of how her brows were scrunched together.

The blonde pushes her hands against Regina's shoulders then pulls back before trailing a single finger along the bruise, "I'm sorry. I got carried away..."

She could see several emotions pass behind the businesswoman's eyes; confusion, realization, anger then resignation before Regina could even answer, "It's alright. Nothing a scarf can't hide."

"Concealer works too." Emma mused playfully, biting her bottom lip to stop herself from smiling.

Before Regina left, she had asked for Emma's number, not a first in her line of work but definitely the first time she was asked the way Regina had.

_Coming here is too risky for someone like me but I find I can't stay away from you. Maybe we can talk while we're both decently dressed and somewhere without strobe and blacklights?_

Emma agreed and wrote her phone number on Regina's palm, making sure to write as legibly as she could which wasn't much because she had to correct the brunette when she tried to read the numbers back.

"-Anyway, he was such a creep and August escorted out."

"..."

"Emma?"

"..."

"Are you even listening to me?"

"..."

"Emma!" Ariel yelped, making the blonde jump and her mind to be yanked into the present. "You blanked out again."

"Sorry! I'm just tired." Emma answers before running a hand through her hair. The two of them had just finished a dance for a group of newly engaged men and were now resting in the backroom.

She could see the gears turning in the redhead's brain and her green eyes to narrow, "Bullshit. You've been like this since yesterday after your dance with-" Ariel cuts herself off with a loudly vocalized gasp, "your client! What was her name…"

"What are you talking about? Regina?"

"Yes, Regina! You've been daydreaming about her, haven't you?"

"Shut the f-" "Daydreaming about who, now?" 

The accented voice comes from somewhere behind Emma and she didn't have to see to know who it was, "Nobody, Killian. Ariel and I were just talking about the customer that… uh…"

"That wanted me to dress as a mermaid and slap him with my tail while he masturbated." Ariel finishes, making Emma and Killian pull a face.

Sicko.

"Oh...kay…" The man says before placing a hand on Emma's shoulder, "In my office. Now."

"I'm really busy, I'm just about to go out for another round with Ariel."

At that, the redhead's eyes widen and a small squeak passes her lips but she nods, "Yes. Well, you see we've been working as a duo tonight." she adds unsteadily.

"We talked about this, Swan."

"And we talked about you saying how we talked about it when that wasn't what happened."

Killian's hand tightens around Emma's shoulder in an obvious attempt to control his temper, "You were in the room with the same client again last night."

"Oh, did August tell you that?"  
"It doesn't matter who told me, _I _told _you_ not to work."

Exasperated by the whole conversation, Emma stands abruptly from her seat and turns to the man, freeing her sore shoulders from his grip. "I don't take being told what to do very well."

Her answer causes an intense tension to fill the room, different from the tension when Regina was around. Hostile, angry, explosive.

"You know? I think I'll wait for Emma outside." Ariel squeaks then moves to leave but Killian stops her by blocking the door.

"It's quite alright, Ariel." he says lowly, his icy blue glare burning a hole into Emma's. "We're not finished, Swan. Go home. Right now, or you're fired."

Emma wanted to fight but she needed this job; the hours were short but it paid well and didn't even want to think of how upset her client would be if he lost the connection with Regina. "Fine." She huffs before stomping towards the changing room, grabbing her leather jacket and jeans on the way.

For three days, Killian kept her in their house and with her charger back at Granny's, her phone died barely into the first day but the phone that her client provided remained alive and kicking.

Stupid smartphone.

Killian Jones' house was a large two-story penthouse in one of the city's premier building; extravagant, beautifully designed, lonely. Emma hated every second she spent in it; hated the decor, the color, the furniture, and the man that lived there with her.

She had began dating Killian because of his looks and his money, when she was nothing but another two-dollar stripper in his club. Luckily, she caught his eye and soon they began sleeping around until Kilian asked her to move in permanently, being with him basically meant a roof over her head and exclusivity in his club. Exclusivity meant higher rates. The higher the rate, the higher the tip, the cleaner the clientele. It was a win-win situation until Killian showed how controlling he could become.

He stopped her from performing but didn't fire her, he would blow up and get mad whenever Emma made an appearance at the club, and would even get jealous of Red whenever Emma came to visit her and Granny.

Still, she needed him and she owed him. Without Killian Jones, she could have been back out on the streets, pregnant, sick or worse, and despite all his rules, Emma had never felt the need to disobey him until now.

_What if Regina had returned to the club and she wasn't there? Would she have gotten a dance from someone else? Brittany? Roxanne? Ariel?_ The thought ate at her all day, everyday until she couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't take being locked in this apartment for another day, she'd go insane.

On the fourth day, Emma finally managed to convince Killian to let her out under the guise that she would be going to the gym and then to Granny's.

Her first stop was the club where she immediately pulls Ariel aside, Emma learns that Regina had returned twice over the past few days but, upon learning that she wasn't around, didn't stick around for too long before leaving.

Twice.

She could have seen Regina and had this over with but Killian had to be… well… Himself.

Fearing her boyfriend might learn of her visit, Emma left soon after talking with Ariel and actually did head for the gym a few blocks from the coffee shop. Working out was her way to sort her feelings and thoughts out, it helped her think clearly for a few hours. By the time she finished, it was around ten in the evening and she decides to simply crash on Ruby's couch.

Emma thought of her situation with Killian, she thought of if she really wanted to stay with him and risk being treated like a child everytime he had one of his tantrums.

Her thought drift to the mess situation that she had gotten herself into with this _client _of hers. After researching Regina's history, Emma could not find anything glaring that might cause someone to want her reputation ruined. It made her wonder what sort of man she was dealing with and how far he would go to fulfill his plans. Had she gotten herself to deep? What would happen if she couldn't deliver on her part? Would he harm her?

She groaned internally as she thought morosely, pulling her hood over her head to obscure her face from the crowd; suddenly feeling like she was being watched.

Probably the nerves.

God she'd make a horrible secret agent.

Out of habit, Emma fished her phone from her pocket and glanced at the screen, finding it as dead as it was two days ago.

Had Regina tried to call her? Texted her? She hoped she did, then she'd, at least, be able to see the message once her phone was charged. Emma thought of the intense connection she felt between them and how, for the days she spent stuck in Killian's house, Regina was all she could think about. Seeing her, touching her, learning about her. "Shit." Emma muttered as she neared the cafe.

She needed to finish this soon before this _attraction_ she had for the brunette became worse.

The phone in her back pocket rings loudly, breaking the small peace she had found. Reluctantly, she pulled the phone up out and up against her ear; not even bothering to greet the caller.

"You underestimate me, Miss Swan."

The man's voice was ominous; low and threatening.

"I just learned that Regina Mills paid you a visit several days ago-" "More like three days ago, it wasn't that long ago." Emma interrupts and a low exasperated huff could be heard from the other end of the line.

"You've gotten yourself involved in something you're painfully unaware of. Just to show you how easily I can get to you, Miss Swan. Look to your right."

Reluctantly, Emma looks to the right and finds that she had reached the Cafe. Granny's car was parked outside and all but one light was off, Emma could see the elderly woman moving around the cafe preparing to close the shop.

"I don't see any-" Emma's cut off when a rather large man pulls her into an alley between the bookstore and antique shop across the cafe. The man moved quickly for his size and manages to slip his forearm against the blonde's throat.

He wore a mask that hid the lower part of his face and all Emma could register were his cold blue eyes.

"This is my friend Greg." The Client says into her ear, "Greg has been very busy today watching Granny and Ruby."

The familiar names falling from a stranger's lips causes a deep chill to creep up Emma's spine. How much did this man know about her?

"Now since you're not in jail and Graham hasn't thrown your body in a ditch somewhere, I'm going to assume one of two things." He continues, "One, Regina _really_ likes you in which case you should have taken the opportunity to learn about her. Or, you told her about our little game. So which is it?"

"I didn't tell her anything, I swear! Her bodyguard went to the club earlier that day and started snooping around but I swear I didn't tell him anything either." "Ah. ah. ah. I don't appreciate lying." He cuts her off with a scolding click of his tongue.

"I need more time. She's too careful. No photographer is going to get a picture of her in the club, not with Zelena doubling security."

"And I really do not like excuses or missed deadlines."

Emma watches as Greg fished out a wire cutter from his jacket pocket then slowly turned towards the cafe where Granny had just stepped out of the cafe.

"Guess who sent her a text saying Emma Swan needed to be picked up from work? Which text the police will see when the old woman's car is wrapped around a tree somewhere."

Her mind raced to connect the dots and her breath caught in her throat as she realized what they had done, "you cut her breaks."

The answer doesn't come immediately and Emma begins to struggle against Greg's hold but it was no use, "the truth Emma." He finally says.

Tears begin to scorch a path down her pale cheeks as she tries to think of something, anything, that could get The Client off her back.

"She has a project! She didn't tell me what it was yet but she talked about it like it was important. Please that's all I know, I swear to God.'" Emma blurts out as Granny slipped into the driver seat of her late model Volvo.

No answer,

"Hello? Hello!"

No answer.

After a moment, the man releases his hold on Emma and without waiting another second, she dart towards the car. "Granny! Gran! Wait!"

The ash-haired woman then turns in utter surprise, "Emma? I thought you were stuck uptown?" she asks before stepping out of the car, much to Emma's relief.

"No I .. Uh.. got a ride home. Let's-" she pauses to turn back towards Greg but of course he wouldn't be there anymore. Of course not. "Let's go inside."  
"Are you alight? Is that Killian boy being possessive again?"

Emma pulls Granny along and into the shop, "No, I mean yes. It's complicated. Come on. I'm starved."

"Fine." The woman says with a huff before following the blonde into the shop then up to their room.

There was no sleep to be had for Emma. She sat by the window, wide awake with Memphis and Flo snuggled on either lap. Every little sound made her jump, every man or woman that stood outside the shop too long demanded her attention.

When the first strands of light began seeping into the quiet street, Emma left her perch to check on Granny's car and repair what damage Greg and her Client had done.

Nothing.

The car was completely intact. No broken brake line, gas line or even a slashed tire.

It was a bluff.

And she fell for it like a chump.

Her ringing phone made her heart jump then falter before beating in double time. "Goddamn it." she muttered before fishing the phone from her breast pocket. Thankfully, it was her regular phone and not _the_ phone that the Client provided.

A private number.

"Emma Swan." She greets quietly as she slammed the hood closed.

The voice on the other line wasn't at all who she expected, "Hello, Miss Swan."

"Graham?"

"You remember? Good." he says and even through a phone line Emma could tell he was smiling on the other line. "Are you free today? or at least, this morning until the afternoon?"

"Um. Yeah. Why?" Emma asks curiously.

"Please get ready, I'll pick you up in an hour."

Her jaw drops and she stutters an answer, "Wh-what, wait-wait."

"Where something nice but not too fancy. Where should I pick you up?"

Emma closed and opened her mouth several times as she tried to form a coherent thought, "uh… In front of Granny's Cafe."

"Alright. I'll see you soon, Emma."

After Graham had disconnected the line, Emma headed back inside and readied herself in a daze. Her mind scattered from the events of last night as well as sleep deprivation, and as she sat waiting for Graham, something from last night echoed in the back of her mind, something The Client had said in passing.

_Graham hasn't thrown your body in a ditch somewhere…_

Was this-

Emma never got to finish the thought before Graham stepped out of a black Sedan wearing a sharp suit and aviator glasses; his face a hard mask of concentration. He must have seen Emma because his lips suddenly stretched in a charming smile.

"Oh no."


End file.
